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Cape Town – There are no mosquitoes capable of spreading the Zika virus in South Africa, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi reiterated yesterday.
The minister was briefing the health committee in Parliament on the Zika virus in the country.
So far, only one case of the virus has been confirmed in the country, when a Colombian businessman who was visiting South Africa was diagnosed in February.
Motsoaledi reassured MPs that a secondary spread of the Zika virus was unlikely. “This Zika virus has not given me sleepless nights,” he said.
He said the department had increased surveillance at ports of entries. “Our special focus on ports of entry is the possibility of transported mosquitoes. We make sure that even before a plane leaves one of the affected countries, it is sprayed thoroughly.”
The minister said the only way the Zika-carrying mosquito could get into the country was if it was imported, and they were taking precautions against that.
Motsoaledi said the biggest concern was to pregnant women, as there was no vaccine or cure available.
He called on pregnant women to avoid traveling to areas where the Zika virus had been found.
“First prize would be pregnant women not travelling at all to these countries,” he said.
He said if they were forced to travel, then they should make sure that they took precautions to make sure no mosquitoes came near them. – AFP
derick.khumalo