43 cases of Zika virus infection confirmed in Spain

The Spanish health ministry on Monday confirmed here that 43 cases of Zika virus infection had so far been reported in Spain.

That is a rise of five cases over the past week, with the first case recorded in the Basque region in the north of Spain.

The health ministry reported that all of the cases involved people who were infected by the virus while in countries where it was more prevalent and insisted it was virtually impossible to become infected by the virus in Spain.

Five of the 43 people infected with the Zika virus were pregnant women, one of whom gave birth last week in the city of Santiago de Compostela to a baby who was unaffected by the virus, local authorities reported. The virus is suspected of causing birth defects such as microcephaly.

Meanwhile, Spanish actress Nerea Barros confirmed on Monday that she had been infected by the Zika virus while making a promotional trip to Colombia in November last year.

Barros said she had "been bitten by around 15 mosquitos, one of which was carrying the virus," while promoting the film La Isla Minima (Marshland). Endit