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Deadly Zika Virus Hits South Africa

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South Africa, on Saturday, confirmed its first case of the dreaded Zika virus that has devastated much of Southern America.

The virus, according to Reuters, was brought into South Africa by a Columbian businessman. He was found to have the viral disease during a visit to Johannesburg, says the Health minister.

“The businessman presented with fever and a rash approximately four days after arrival in South Africa but is now fully recovered,” the minister said.

This makes South Africa the first African country to confirm the disease, since the disease epidemic broke out last year.

Although Zika was first discovered in Africa, there has been only 20, or less, recorded case of the disease in the continent since 2007.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had on February 1, declared Zika a global public health emergency.

About 1.5 million case have been recorded in Brazil, and about 14 countries, including China, have so far confirmed the disease.

Although there are no known treatment and causes of the viral disease, scientists, however, believe that it is caused by mosquitoes.

Zika is believed to the cause of two neurological disorder: microcephaly in babies and Guillain-Barre syndrome that can cause paralysis.

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