A 32 year old Maltese man who recently recovered from Zika virus is being kept in isolation at home after visiting American Samoa in January and returning back to Malta, via Dubai, on 3 February.

He had symptomatic fever on 29 January, but it had subsided by the time he arrived back in Malta, so he was not contagious and there was no danger to other passengers on the plane.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Chris Fearne confirmed that there was no risk to other passengers since the man had no fever at the time of his return to Malta from Dubai on 3 February and he is being held in isolation at his home as a precaution as advised by the family doctor.

The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted mainly by Aedes aegypti andAedes albopictus mosquitoes, usually during daytime. Infection with the virus has been linked to microcephaly, which is a birth condition leading to babies born with smaller heads, leading to possibly brain damage.

Only 20% of people infected actually show any symptoms. These include mild fever, joint pains, headaches, an itchy rash and conjunctivitis. The symptoms usually develop between 3 and 12 days from the mosquito bite. A 24/7 helpline, 2132 4086, has been set up to deal with queries and potential cases. 

Also see:

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-02-08/local-news/What-is-being-done-on-a-local-level-about-the-Zika-virus-6736152978

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-02-10/health/What-to-know-about-the-tropical-Zika-virus-in-Latin-America-6736153059

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2016-02-10/local-news/Zika-virus-government-sets-up-group-to-oversee-potential-crisis-6736153124