Singapore says 40 more locally transmitted Zika cases

Singapore reported 40 more cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infections on Sunday, most of them foreign workers at a construction site.

The government on Saturday announced its first case, that of a 47-year-old Malaysian woman residing in the city state.

All 41 are residents or workers in a suburban district, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement.

"They are not known to have travelled to Zika-affected areas recently, and are thus likely to have been infected in Singapore," the statement said.

"This confirms that local transmission of Zika virus infection has taken place."

It said that at this point the community transmission appears to be localised within the district.

Thirty-six of those infected are foreign labourers working at a construction site in the area, according to the statement.

It said 34 have fully recovered while the other seven, who are still symptomatic and potentially infectious, remain in hospital.