Malaysia detects first locally-transmitted Zika case

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 3: Malaysian authorities have detected possibly the country's first locally-transmitted Zika case in a 61-year-old man in Sabah on the Kalimantan island, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

"The ministry is currently investigating the travel history of the patient in the recent period," Xinhua news agency cited a statement as saying.

There is a high possibility that the infection was transmitted locally since the patient has not travelled abroad recently and it was likely he got bitten by an Aedes mosquito carrying Zika, the statement said.

The man first showed symptoms of a fever on August 27 and sought treatment at the local clinic. As his condition worsened and he began to show more symptoms such as muscle aches and diarrhoea, he had further treatment at a hospital.

As he was also suffering from other diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and chronic kidney disease, his condition was very serious, but not due to Zika infection, said the statement.

It added vector control measures have been taken in the residential area and other places visited by the patient.

Given that the virus has been detected in this country, more Zika cases are expected if no precautionary measures are taken by the people, said the ministry.

Malaysia confirmed its first Zika case on Thursday in a 58-year-old woman who had visited her daughter in Singapore.

IANS