KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Islamic authorities must present a unified guideline regarding abortions for cases of pregnant women infected with the Zika virus that may cause birth defects, Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam said today.

The minister said it was important that the Muzakarah National Fatwa Committee Council in Islamic Affairs and state Muftis were in consensus on the topic.

He said he welcomed Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri stating his approval for abortion in such cases, but stressed that the law currently only allows therapeutic abortions when a mother’s life is at risk, and not the child.

"They must discuss this matter and if they issue a statement, that would help us in drafting appropriate guidelines that we can issue to everyone,” he told reporters after launching the 11th Allied Health Scientific Conference here today.

He also said that the ministry is working to identify the Zika strain that is in Malaysia and will likely identify it within this week.

He added that the ministry has briefed all private and government obstetrics and gynaecology doctors on the Zika situation in the country and urged those planning to have children now or are in mid-pregnancy to visit their doctors to monitor their pregnancies.

"Not all pregnancies with the parents infected with Zika will end up with deformities. The percentage is only between 1 and 5 per cent. That means the chances is still 95 per cent for everything to be okay,” he said.

"I advise to follow the doctor’s advice because in the guidelines, once someone is tested positive there will be tests to determine the health of the baby and then they will be able to say whether anything has gone wrong or not.

"It relies on the cooperation between doctors and patients throughout the process,” he added.

Dr Subramaniam also said the spread of dengue is harder to manage than Zika.

He explained that Zika was most contagious at the height of symptoms compared to dengue, which spread before symptoms showed.

International newswire Reuters reported last month that the Zika virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly in Brazil where the current outbreak was first detected last year. Microcephaly is a birth defect where the baby’s head is much smaller than expected and is associated with other problems like developmental delay, seizures and intellectual disability.

Zika is carried by Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit it to humans, and is also passed through sex.

Neighbouring Singapore has reported 215 cases of Zika infections.

A 61-year-old man living in Sabah, who had contracted Zika locally, died Saturday from heart complications.

A 58-year-old woman living in Klang who was the first Malaysian recorded to have been infected with Zika in the country, is reportedly recovering.