New case of mosquito-borne Zika virus reported in Israel

A resident of the northern Negev region is being treated for the mosquito-borne Zkia virus, it has been reported. The man was overseas when he was infected, said Israel’s Channel 10.

Zika is responsible for thousands of foetal deformities across the developing world. The latest victim is said to be in an “advanced state of recovery.”

The first confirmed Zika Case in Israel was a 2-year-old girl returning from Columbia at the beginning of the year. Since January, several other Zika cases have been recorded in the country.

In May, the World Health Organisation said that there was a moderate likelihood of an outbreak of the Zika virus in Israel. The main risk lies in the fact that mosquitoes present in the region can carry and propagate the virus, which began to spread more widely in May, when an outbreak was reported in Brazil. Governments have since warned their citizens about travelling to areas where the Zika virus is spreading actively.

Although the viral disease has not become endemic in Israel, it is speculated that the increase in the number of Zika cases could affect the country’s tourism industry. In an August survey by the online travel company Travelzoo, about 40 per cent of Americans surveyed said that the presence of Zika in their tourist destination would affect their travel decisions. In June, 20 per cent of Britons surveyed also said this would affect their travel plans.