MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The infected person is a young Venezuelan doctor who arrived in Cuba last month to receive a degree in gastroenterology, the Cuban Granma newspaper reported Tuesday, citing the ministry.
According to the newspaper, the man arrived in Cuba along with other 37 colleagues, who had undergone medical examination in Cuba, but no Zika symptoms have been reported so far.
In recent weeks, the concern over Zika has increased in Cuba, with medical staff attaching special attention to any potential symptoms, especially among pregnant women. On Sunday, the Cuban government announced extra measures to keep the Zika virus out of its borders, including a 24/7 management center at the level of Health Ministry.
The recent Zika outbreak originated in Brazil last year and spread 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.
At present, there is no available vaccine against the Zika virus. The virus is suspected of having strong links to instances of severe brain damage and underdevelopment in newborns, known as microcephaly.
