S.Korea's 2nd case of Zika virus detected after trip to Philippines

The second case of the Zika virus was detected in South Korea from a man having traveled to the Philippines, local media reported Wednesday, citing the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The 20-year-old man, who had made a trip to the Southeast Asian country for five days through April 14, tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus.

He began to develop symptoms of flu from April 20 and started to show rash in his body two days later.

The second South Korean infectee said he was bitten by mosquitoes while staying in the Philippines, according to the KCDC.

The KCDC advised the patient to be hospitalized at a state-designated medical institution where virus-infected patients can be treated.

It was the second Zika case in South Korea since a 43-year-old man was confirmed positive for the flavi-virus on March 22.

Zika is a virus that is primarily spread by mosquito bites, particularly risky for pregnant women as it is thought to be linked to a rare birth defect - microcephaly that causes newborn babies to have unusually small heads and damaged brains.

The Zika virus is believed not to be spread by ordinary touches between humans, but it can be transmitted through sex and blood transfusion. Cases of sexual transmission from travelers to their sexual partners had been reported in the United States and Europe.

The KCDC advised pregnant women not to travel to Zika-infected countries, while recommending fertile women delay pregnancy for at least two months after returning from those countries.

Zika was first found in Africa and spread to Asia and Latin America. The virus is spreading rapidly in Latin America, while Thailand and the Philippines are the most Zika-infected countries in Asia. Enditem