Oz Woman Tests Positive For Zika Virus

A pregnant woman in Australia who has returned from travelling abroad has tested positive for the Zika virus.

It is the first case in the state of Victoria but the second declared in a week in Australia - a pregnant woman in Queensland has also been diagnosed with Zika.

Victoria state's health minister Jill Hennessy said: "A Victorian woman has been diagnosed this week with Zika virus after recently returning from a country where Zika virus is prevalent.

"This woman is pregnant. Again, before we go any further, I want to emphasise the importance of respecting this woman's privacy and her health and wellbeing is an absolute priority for us."

She went on: "I do want to assure you all that Zika virus poses no public health risk to others in the community as it is not transmitted person-to-person.

"The Zika virus is not present in Australian mosquitoes and there is no risk to others in the community that this condition will be passed on.

"However, we are advising all people, but especially pregnant women, or women who may be trying or intending to get pregnant, to avoid travelling to those countries and places where there has been Zika outbreaks.

"My primary concern today is not about a public health risk, but a woman who is dealing with the anxiety of receiving news that is incredibly concerning."

Experts say the risk of Zika spreading across Australia is extremely low because the Aedes type of mosquito that carries the virus lives solely in the far north-east corner of the country, where few people live.

Most people who contract the virus have either mild or no symptoms, but it is considered to be dangerous to pregnant women because it is suspected of causing a birth defect called microcephaly that results in babies being born with abnormally small heads.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation says potential Zika vaccines are at least 18 months away from large-scale trials.

A WHO expert says scientists will probably need "a few more weeks" to establish if there is a definite link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barre Syndrome but said the link was "highly probable".