Zika virus hits Russia
The Zika virus has landed in Russia.
Russia’s sanitary and epidemiological watchdog Rospotrebnadzor confirmed the first case of the virus in the country on Monday.
The infected woman had visited the Dominican Republic and she was now in satisfactory condition in an infectious diseases hospital, Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement.
“Medical observation of family members was established. No clinical manifestations of the virus were registered among them, and they tested negative for the Zika virus,” the statement said.
Precautionary measures were taken in regard to the passenger plane on which the infected Russian citizen flew home, and there was no threat to the health of other passengers, it added.
Rospotrebnadzor started weekly monitor of individuals coming from countries troubled by vector-borne infections since the beginning of 2016, Times of India reports.
Pregnant women infected with Zika virus are prone to deliver babies with microcephaly, a medical condition that leads to underdeveloped brains and even death.
But the virus rarely affects adults. Most infected adults don’t even show symptoms.
Women in the worst hit countries, mostly in South America and the Caribbean, are being advised to stop getting pregnant for now.
Nigeria’s health ministry says the virus has been in the country for long and Nigerians have shown they are immune to it. But they are still being advised to avoid travelling to Brazil and the other countries hit by Zika.
The 2016 Olympics will take place in Brazil. Kenyans, the lords of long distance races, have threatened to pull out due to Zika virus..
