A confirmatory test performed by National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on a Columbian businessman visiting South Africa who was diagnosed with the Zika virus has proved positive.
“The NICD can confirm that indeed the test confirmed the diagnosis of the Zika Virus Infection in the Columbian businessman visiting Johannesburg. The man experienced mild illness and has made a full recovery‚” Lucille Blumberg of the NICD said.
Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi disclosed on Friday that the Columbian businessman had been diagnosed with the Zika virus infection by a private Johannesburg pathology laboratory but that a confirmatory test was being performed by the NICD.
He said the businessman had presented with fever and a rash approximately four days after arriving in South Africa but was now fully recovered.
The infection was acquired in Columbia prior to his visit to Johannesburg for business.
Columbia is currently experiencing a large outbreak of the Zika virus.
“The confirmation of this particular case poses no risk to the South African population as the virus is not transmitted from human to human but through the Aedes aegypti mosquitoe and or possibly from mother to the foetus in pregnant women. However‚ a case of sexual transmission was recently reported in the US but is still regarded to be very rare‚” Motsoaledi said.
According to Motsoaledi‚ the virus is present in the blood of a patient for a very short time‚ typically less than seven days and therefore poses no danger. A person carrying this virus in the blood will have to be beaten by a correct sub-type of an Aedes aegypti mosquito within this period for the virus to be transmitted to the next person through a bite by the same mosquito.
The Aedes mosquito that transmit the Zika virus in South America also transmit the dengue fever and yellow fever‚ but this viruses are not found in South Africa‚ indicating that the local Aedes mosquito does not contribute to the spread of the Zika virus.
Given the frequency of travel between South Africa and a number of countries currently experiencing outbreaks of the Zika virus‚ it was likely that other sporadic imported cases would be seen here in travellers as had been the experience in a number of countries‚ Motsoaledi said.
Test confirms Columbian businessman infected with Zika virus
A confirmatory test performed by National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on a Columbian businessman visiting South Africa who was diagnosed with the Zika virus has proved positive.
“The NICD can confirm that indeed the test confirmed the diagnosis of the Zika Virus Infection in the Columbian businessman visiting Johannesburg. The man experienced mild illness and has made a full recovery‚” Lucille Blumberg of the NICD said.
Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi disclosed on Friday that the Columbian businessman had been diagnosed with the Zika virus infection by a private Johannesburg pathology laboratory but that a confirmatory test was being performed by the NICD.
He said the businessman had presented with fever and a rash approximately four days after arriving in South Africa but was now fully recovered.
The infection was acquired in Columbia prior to his visit to Johannesburg for business.
Columbia is currently experiencing a large outbreak of the Zika virus.
“The confirmation of this particular case poses no risk to the South African population as the virus is not transmitted from human to human but through the Aedes aegypti mosquitoe and or possibly from mother to the foetus in pregnant women. However‚ a case of sexual transmission was recently reported in the US but is still regarded to be very rare‚” Motsoaledi said.
According to Motsoaledi‚ the virus is present in the blood of a patient for a very short time‚ typically less than seven days and therefore poses no danger. A person carrying this virus in the blood will have to be beaten by a correct sub-type of an Aedes aegypti mosquito within this period for the virus to be transmitted to the next person through a bite by the same mosquito.
The Aedes mosquito that transmit the Zika virus in South America also transmit the dengue fever and yellow fever‚ but this viruses are not found in South Africa‚ indicating that the local Aedes mosquito does not contribute to the spread of the Zika virus.
Given the frequency of travel between South Africa and a number of countries currently experiencing outbreaks of the Zika virus‚ it was likely that other sporadic imported cases would be seen here in travellers as had been the experience in a number of countries‚ Motsoaledi said.
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