The Ministry of Health in Palau has asked the United States centre of disease control to assist in determining whether the zika virus is present in Palau.
The virus is a mosquito-borne illness that causes zika fever, with symptoms similar to dengue fever.
There is currently an outbreak of dengue fever in Palau with 14 confirmed and 36 suspected cases.
The Public Health Director, Doctor Stevenson Kuartei, says while a national cleanup is being mobilised to further prevent dengue outbreaks, the situation has been complicated by a zika outbreak nearby.
"Our neighbouring island of Yap is having an outbreak of zika virus which is a cousin of dengue. We have alot of travel between Yap and Palau so we had just asked that the centre of disease control in the US come in to assist us in diagnosing whether zika is currently in Palau or not."
The Public Director of Health, Doctor Stevenson Kuartei.
