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Argentina: Zika virus case confirmed

Argentina

Argentina has reported its first Zika virus case in the capital Buenos Aires, according to a local daily.

The infected person is a 23-year-old lady who had recently visited Colombia where thousands have tested positive to the mosquito-transmitted virus.

The Zika virus is reported to have spread across 20 countries in Latin America.

There is no cure for the virus but a vaccine could be ready in the next two years.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation is set to hold a special meeting later on Thursday to discuss how best to tackle the virus.

There is a potential for epidemics of #Zika to occur in areas where it is newly introduced because people lack immunity to the #ZikaVirus

— WHO (@WHO) January 27, 2016

The virus which was first identified in Africa in the early 1940s is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which also carries dengue fever and yellow fever.

Health officials suspect the Zika virus is linked to a wave of birth defects in Brazil where the virus was first reported in May 2015.

Moreover, reports indicate that there is a link between the virus and microcephaly which leads to babies being born with small heads with undeveloped brains.

As it is, the only way to prevent Zika virus is to clear areas with stagnant water and use insecticides.

The symptoms of the virus includes joint ache, rashes, mild fever, headache and inflammation of the eyes.

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