A second case of the Zika virus has been confirmed in Finland, reports Finnish commercial broadcaster MTV on Wednesday. It quotes National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) epidemiologist Jussi Sane as saying that the patient's infection originated in Latin America. The individual has sought medical care for symptoms of the infection.
The first Zika case in Finland was diagnosed last summer in a Finnish man who had returned after a long vacation in the Maldive Islands.
The Zika virus is spread primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which are typically found around buildings in urban areas. In Europe they are only common around the Mediterranean.
There are also individual cases that were apparently spread through sex or blood transfusions.
The virus can cause flu-like symptoms including fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. In most cases, though, the infection does not have noticeable symptoms. Infants born to women who are infected during pregnancy may have a higher risk of birth defects.
