Luxembourg announces its first case of Zika infection

The Luxembourg Ministry of Health announced the first case of infection with the Zika virus in this country. The patient is a 65 year old woman according to the French newspaper Le Monde. The woman had contracted the pathogen during a trip to Mexico, as it was indicated on Monday by the Ministry of Health of the country.

The woman’s health was not a source of concern, therefore she was not hospitalized, said the local newspaper, L’essentiel. More, the health services in this country have assured the public that there are no mosquitoes in Luxembourg that can transmit the Zika virus and there is no risk of contamination, even if there were rare cases of sexual transmission.

Symptoms of the Zika virus are: high temperature, joint and muscle pains, skin redness and red eyes. Other signs include vomiting, headache and pain behind the eyes. Although the virus normally cures itself after a short period of time, the virus has been found to hold more grave consequences if it is a pregnant woman who is affected, as the virus may be responsible for microcephaly, a neurological condition which can affect the embryo.

Women returning from countries affected by the virus were advised to wait at least two months before trying to become pregnant, and woman who were already pregnant have been recommended to not travel in the countries concerned. Pregnant women who have done so should mention this during antenatal consultations so that the situation may be appropriately reviewed and monitored.