Two tourists that came to Maldives tested positive for Zika after leaving

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has said that three tourists who came to the Maldives have been tested positive for Zika Virus after they left the country.

Zika virus is spread by the Aedes species of mosquito which spread dengue fever and Chikunguny.

At the ongoing press conference now, HPA said that the tourists tested positive were from Spain, Germany and Finland.

At a press conference tonight by the HPA, the Director General of Health Services at the Health Ministry, Dr. Sheeza Ali said that two tourists who visited Maldives consulted doctors when they got sick after visiting the Maldives and has confirmed to have tested positive for Zika Virus.

Dr. Sheeza said that they were a 53-year-old Spanish tourist and a German tourist. Both men spent their time in the Maldives on luxury yachts and went diving.

Health Ministry and the HPA did not reveal the exact locations they visited.

The Health Ministry was informed about the two tourists who were travelling separately and tested positive in different months by the WHO.

The Ministry said that a tourist from Finland also tested positive for the virus last year.

While testing for Zika Virus is being conducted at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Dr. Sheeza said that so far no locals have tested positive for the disease.

Dr. Sheeza said that sometimes, the patient does not know when they get the disease and get better. And there are instanced where the symptoms surface dramatically.

Medical Officer at HPA, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that microcephaly is caused not by Zika but as a danger after contracting the disease.

HPA has called to the public to take preventive measures to stay protected from Zika Virus. And so the steps against the Dengue Fever would work for Zika as well.