Zika virus: Australians must be aware of risk, says Dutton

Peter Dutton has warned Australians need to be realistic about the threat of the Zika virus after two NSW cases.

The federal government is warning pregnant women to avoid or delay travel to countries experiencing the outbreak.

Immigration minister Peter Dutton has warned Australians need to be realistic about the threat of the Zika virus spreading Down Under.

Two cases of Zika virus infection have reportedly been detected in two NSW residents.

The residents had recently travelled in the Caribbean before heading back to Sydney.

Mr Dutton says Australians should take comfort in the success of authorities stopping the spread of previous viruses such as Ebola, but they still need to be aware of the risk to the nation.

“We need to be realistic. Australians travel in huge numbers each year. We welcome tourists in massive numbers, particularly from southeast Asia,” Mr Dutton says.

Mr Dutton says all options are on the table but points out the World Health Organisation is yet to call for restrictions on travel.

“If there are measures that need to be implemented, we will implement them, but the WHO hasn’t advised of any restrictions,” he said.

Government officials are already identifying high-risk targets. “Border force and the Department of Agriculture staff at the airport will be intercepting and having a look at people coming off particular flights ... there is also some spraying going on, particularly around cargo,” he said.

The health department said the NSW residents had mild cases of the virus and have since recovered.

The World Health Organisation has declared the mosquito-borne virus a global emergency following an outbreak in Brazil.

It has been linked to thousands of severe birth defects.

The federal government is warning pregnant women to avoid or delay travel to countries experiencing the outbreak.

First US Zika case

The first US case of the Zika virus has been contracted in Dallas County, local health officials say, adding there are no reports of the virus being locally transmitted by mosquitoes in the Texas county.

Dallas County Health and Human Services said on Tuesday the case in Dallas was acquired through sexual transmission, adding that it received confirmation of the infection from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The county did not identify the person infected.

The CDC said it did not investigate how the virus was transmitted.

There have been six confirmed travel-related cases of Zika virus disease, all among residents of Harris County, where Houston is located, the Texas Department of State Health Services said. In medical literature, there has been only one case of Zika transmitted sexually and one case in which the virus was detected in semen.

AAP/Reuters