By Kim Rahn
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed a third Zika virus infection, Friday.
The KCDC said the third patient, surnamed Kang, 21, is the elder brother of the second patient, who both contracted the virus during a trip to the Philippines.
“Unlike the younger brother, the elder brother showed no symptoms of the virus, such as fever, rash and muscle pain,” an official said.
While the second patient said he was bitten by a mosquito during the trip, the elder Kang said he was not; but the KCDC suspects he was also bitten without his knowledge.
“He tested positive in urine and saliva samples, and negative in the blood. But the results can differ, as a virus is usually detected in urine for a longer period after infection than in blood,” the official said.
The elder Kang joined the military Tuesday, and the KCDC conducted the test in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense. “He is hospitalized at a military hospital for additional tests, and will be released if found okay,” the official said.
The brothers visited Boracay and Kalibo between April 10 and 14. The younger brother showed cold-like symptoms and visited a neighborhood clinic in Nowon in northern Seoul on April 20. Afterward he suffered a rash and visited Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, which reported him as a suspected Zika patient to the KCDC.
The Philippines is classified as a country with “sporadic transmission” of the Zika virus, meaning there have been less than 10 cases in the last two months.