The Department of Health yesterday disclosed that the sixth and latest Zika virus infection patient in the Philippines has fully recovered.
“The only update that I can give you is that the 45-year-old female from Iloilo has fully recovered from the illness, which is good news,” Health spokesperson Eric Tayag told reporters in an interview.
On Monday, the DoH announced that a married but non-pregnant woman from Iloilo City was the sixth case of Zika infection in the Philippines since 2012. The agency said the case was most likely due to local transmission since there was no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks.
Zika infection is characterized by fever lasting for two to seven days, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, pain behind the eyes, and vomiting. Despite being a mild disease, Zika infection became a big concern because of the birth defect – called microcephaly – that is linked to it.
(Charina Clarisse L. Echaluce)