A 34-year-old Thai man, who arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport earlier this month, was yesterday diagnosed with the Zika virus, the second case in Taiwan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said.
The man said he had a cold sweat when he boarded an airplane in Thailand on Thursday and was found to have a fever when screened upon arrival at Taoyuan airport, CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) said.
“After analysis of a blood sample and through genome sequencing of the virus, it was confirmed that the man tested positive for Zika,” Chou said. “This is the nation’s second imported case, with the two being the nation’s only known cases.”
Photo: EPA
The first case, also a traveler from Thailand, was confirmed by the CDC on Jan. 19 after a man was screened and found to have a fever at Taoyuan airport when he arrived on Jan. 10.
Chou said both men were from Udon Thani in northern Thailand.
The man who tested positive yesterday returned to the dormitory of his workplace in central Taiwan after he was treated at a hospital and showed no more symptoms.
“We have reported the case to the WHO and also informed the Thailand Liaison Office in Taiwan, based on international health regulations,” Chou said.
He said officials from the CDC and the local health bureau have visited the factory where the man works to investigate the population of vector mosquitos in the surrounding environment, as well as to give mosquito nets and insect repellent, and to inform workers about mosquito bite prevention.
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