BACKGROUND: Based on the tests conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Prevention and Control on February 1, 2016 ? December 31, 2016, a total of 16 residents of the Republic of Korea had laboratory evidence of recent Zika virus infection.
METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: Among those infected with Zika virus, 13 (81.2%) were male and 3 (18.8%) were female; the mean age was 36 years old. All 16 patients reported recent travel to areas with active Zika virus transmission; 14 patients visited Southeast Asian countries (Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand) and the other four visited Latin American countries (Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico). All but one had clinical illness, with the most common symptoms being maculopapular rash (93.8%, n=15), fever (56.3%, n=9) and myalgia (75%, n=12).
CONCLUSION: Timely reporting and testing of Zika virus for those who have recently returned from countries with local transmission are important, particularly if they have symptoms such as maculopapular rash, myalgia or arthralgia.
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