- An Australian man has been diagnosed with the Zika virus after a holiday
- The man returned from a holiday in Cuba and was then diagnosed with the virus
- He was initially misdiagnosed after the wrong test was conducted in October
An Australian man has been diagnosed with the deadly Zika virus after returning from a holiday in Cuba.
A man was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus at Mackay Hospital following a holiday to Cuba, according to the Sunshine Coast Daily.
The diagnosis comes after the Zika outbreak in late 2015 which the World Health Organisation called a ‘public health emergency of international concern’.
The man was initially misdiagnosed after first arriving back in Australia in October, according to Townsville Public Health Unit director Steven Donohue.
A man in Queensland has been diagnosed with the deadly Zika virus
A man was diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus at Mackay Hospital
Zika can cause severe birth defects in unborn babies including microcephaly
‘There was a little of a delay getting the results with this guy, because the initial doctor didn’t do the correct test and it was only afterwards that we realised we had this,’ he said.
He said a blood test was carried out on the man but not a test for Zika.
‘We’re particularly careful about Zika. We don’t want this thing to spread in Australia by any means.’
Dr Donohue said there had been no local transmission of the virus in Queensland and there was not much risk associated with the current infection.
The man was diagnosed with Zika after returning home from a holiday in Cuba (stock image)
He said the ‘initial wave of outbreaks’ of the virus had slowed down internationally.
‘It might only be a few years before Zika makes a comeback,’ he said.
Townsville public health registrar Julie Mudd said inexperienced travellers should seek advice about risks before setting off.
‘Most outbreaks start when locals catch a mosquito-borne illness such as dengue or Zika while overseas and were still infectious when they returned home,’ she said.
‘People need to protect themselves from mosquitoes and use insect repellent when they travel to tropical countries where dengue occurs year round, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
‘It should become second nature for people to seek travel advice about the potential health risks in the country they are visiting so they can take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their families.’