Singapore has confirmed its first imported case of the Zika virus, the Ministry of Health said.
In a joint statement with the National Environment Agency, the government confirmed Friday that a 48-year-old man, a permanent resident of Singapore, tested positive for the virus following a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, from March 27 to May 7.
The mosquito-borne disease can cause microcephaly, which leads to the underdevelopment of the brain in newborns.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, as of Thursday, the virus was being actively transmitted in Latin America, the Pacific Islands and Cape Verde.
The man in Singapore developed a fever and rash on May 10 and was admitted to a hospital two days later, where he subsequently tested positive for Zika. The statement said he will be transferred to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment and isolation.
Singaporean parliament member Sim Ann announced that the government would be conducting house visits to inspect the residential compound where the man lived.
Debate has been stirring over the safety of athletes and tourists who will be at the Summer Olympic Games opening in August in Rio de Janeiro. The city has a high incidence of Zika, and at least one health expert says exposing the half a million tourists expected to visit the region to the virus could result in a global Zika pandemic.