The Ministry said earlier on Saturday that the man was believed to be the first locally-transmitted Zika infection in the country.
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He added that investigation showed that the patient has not travelled overseas recently and his infection was probably locally-transmitted – bitten by a Zika-infected Aedes mosquito. “The virus from these two patients was not imported from South America”, the statement said.
Singapore yesterday reported 215 cases of Zika infections as scientists in the city-state said the virus strain comes from within Asia and was not imported from Brazil.
Malaysia confirmed its first Zika case on Thursday in a 58-year-old woman who had visited her daughter in Singapore.
It is the first time in the United States that a mosquito has tested positive for the Zika virus.
The Zika virus is also linked to instances of microcephaly – a developmental defect resulting in a smaller-than-normal head or brain – in newborns.
Dr Christina added that the department had also advised all visitors coming from Zika-affected countries as well as Malaysians returning from these countries to report to the Health Quarantine Centre or Health Office if they were down with fever and rashes when they arrived in Sabah.
Malaysia already has struggled in recent years to control the spread of Aedes-borne dengue fever, and has been bracing for Zika after Singapore reported a surge in cases beginning a week ago.
NEA said it is still continuing with the vector control operations to control the Aedes mosquito population in Aljunied Crescent, Sims Drive, Kallang Way and Paya Lebar Way as the vector control remains the key solution to reduce the spread of the Zika virus.
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Malaysia has stepped up screening of travellers from overseas, particularly Singapore, and fogging with mosquito-killing chemicals while urging the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites such as stagnant water.
