The first case of a pregnant woman in Singapore with Zika has been confirmed after she was diagnosed at noon on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016.

She is among 24 new cases of Zika infections confirmed, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a briefing on Wednesday night.

This brings the total to 115 Zika infections that have been confirmed in Singapore.

The pregnant patient lives in the Aljunied Crescent / Sims Drive area. A member of her household had earlier been diagnosed with Zika.

However, it is unlikely that the woman's household infected her or vice versa, as their symptoms showed at around the same time.

She displayed mild symptoms of the virus and was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Authorities said her doctor is following up closely with her to monitor her health as well as the development of the baby.

She will be referred to a maternal-foetal medicine specialist for counselling and advice.

Head of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Professor Arijit Biswas said the general guidelines are for pregnant patients with Zika to go for checks every four weeks.

Zika infections during pregnancy have been linked to microcephaly.

This is where a baby is born with an abnormally small brain and skull.

MOH has previously noted that a positive result for amniotic fluid testing to screen for Zika does not mean a baby will be born with defects.

The chances of an infected pregnant woman giving birth to a child with microcephaly was between 1 and 13 percent, a recent New England Journal of Medicine study found.

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