A leading Philippine Church official has called on the public to be active in awareness campaigns to combat the spread of the Zika virus in the country.
"Let us educate ourselves and prevent this virus to reach an alarming stage," said Father Dan Cancino, executive secretary of the Commission on Health of the bishops' conference.
The priest urged church groups to wok with other agencies to "mitigate the impact" of the virus which is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
"Let us equip ourselves of the right information and familiarize the symptoms and effects of the virus," said Father Cancino.
He said the "best weapon" against the virus is "expanded awareness" of its characteristics.
The Philippine Health Department announced on Sept. 26 that there are already 12 Zika virus cases in the country.
Symptoms of the disease such as fever, joint pain and a rash, are usually mild, but in Brazil, the virus has been linked to thousands of cases of microcephaly in newborns — a neurological condition that can cause extreme intellectual and physical disabilities.