HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong has confirmed its first case of Zika in a girl who had travelled to the Caribbean, putting the Asian economic hub on high alert for any spread of the mosquito-borne virus that has wreaked havoc in Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond.
Leung Ting-hung, Controller of the Centre for Fitness Protection of the Branch of Health, advised a media convention late on Thursday that relevant measures were taken to prevent the virus from spreading.
He said the authorities’ precedence changed to controlling the mosquito population in Hong Kong.
“The patient is a 38-year-old girl with top beyond Fitness. She has had advanced joint pain and red eyes since August 20,” the Department of Health stated in a statement.
The unidentified female has been within the Caribbean from Aug. 6-20 and returned to Hong Kong on Monday, the Department said.
It stated it might document the case to the world Fitness Corporation.
In February, a mainland Chinese language guy who flew into Hong Kong was diagnosed as having the Zika virus, consistent with broadcaster RTHK, prompting officials to say there was little risk he would have precipitated an epidemic at some stage in his short stay.
Zika was detected in Brazil, closing the year, and has since spread throughout the Americas. The virus poses a threat to pregnant girls because it can cause severe birth defects. It’s been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly in Brazil.
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(Reporting through Twinnie Siu, Meg Shen and Clare Baldwin; Editing by way of Louise Eire and Paul Tait)
