Biosecurity

SA Zika virus patient recovers

The Columbian businessman who was diagnosed with the Zika virus in South Africa has since recovered. The diagnosis was announced on Friday by the Department of Health, however South Africans were assured that the virus is not contagious through human-to-human contact. Rather, the virus is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. However, the virus is known to transmit from infected pregnant mothers to foetuses, resulting in birth abnormalities. The virus has also been sexually transmitted, but such cases remain extremely rare. On Saturday it was announced that the man had made a full recovery.