Russia has reported its first case of Zika virus on Monday, Feb. 15.
The patient just came home from a vacation in Dominican Republic, where she contracted the disease, says Veronika Skvortsova, the Health Minister for Russia.
"This is a 36-year old Russian woman who was in the Dominican Republic and came back to the Russian Federation in February," reports Skvortsova at a UN briefing for Russia's Ebola vaccine.
History Of Present Illness
The unnamed woman arrived in Moscow this month with signs and symptoms of Zika virus. A few days after her return to the country, she had developed fever and rashes.
The Patient's Condition Right Now
The woman was hospitalized immediately after being diagnosed with the infection. Her family members were also tested for the disease, but results came out negative.
Threats To Other Passengers
Authorities say there is no threat to the health of other passengers. They have implemented an array of necessary anti-epidemic interventions to prevent the disease that has spread to more than 30 nations and has caused thousands of birth defects in the Latin American region.
Control Measures
"We are extremely cautious," says Skvortsova. She adds that their experts have developed an excellent procedural system to immediately detect and prevent Zika virus.
The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) has been monitoring passengers from Zika-infected countries since the start of 2016. They are particularly looking at fever, which is a common sign of infection.
The agency says that the climatic condition in Russia does not pose great risk for Zika. However, officials advise people to stay alert when planning a vacation to tropical and sub-tropical countries. They also advise people to consider vacation spots where there are favorable epidemiological conditions.
"The situation remains under control of Rospotrebnadzor," the press release reads.
Still, the agency advises people to seek professional medical help if they experience Zika-associated signs and symptoms such as fever, red eyes, rashes, muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue two to three weeks after returning from an endemic country.
Photo: John Tann | Flickr
