China confirms 1st Zika virus case

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- China has confirmed its first case of the imported Zika virus, according to the country's health authorities Wednesday, amid fears over the fast-spreading virus that is blamed for births of brain-damaged babies.

A 34-year-old man from Ganxian county of Jiangxi province was confirmed to have been infected by the Zika virus after traveling to Venezuela, China's National Health and Family Planning Commission said in a statement.

The man, who returned home last Friday, has been quarantined and treated at a hospital in Ganxian since Saturday, according to the statement.

The World Health Organization has declared the Zika virus outbreak a global emergency.

Zika was first discovered in Africa, and has spread to parts of Asia and Latin America, including many Caribbean countries. It is related to yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and dengue, with 1 in 5 infected showing signs of fever, rashes and joint pain.
(END)