South Korea Registers First Imported Zika Case

The first case of the notorious Zika virus has been registered in South Korea, local media reported Tuesday.

TOKYO (Sputnik) — According to the Yonhap news agency, a 43-year-old patient, whose name was not disclosed, was confirmed to have been infected with Zika, shortly after he returned from Brazil, where he had a month-long trip.

The recent Zika outbreak originated in Brazil last year before spreading across Latin America. The Zika virus primarily affects monkeys and humans and is transmitted by daytime-active mosquitoes. It reportedly can also be transmitted through blood transfusions and sexual intercourse.

There are currently 25 countries affected by the Zika.

At present, there is no available vaccine against the Zika virus. The virus has been linked to instances of severe brain damage and underdevelopment in newborns, known as microcephaly.