Bay of Plenty health authorities have registered the third case of Zika virus in the last year. The latest case involved a traveller returning from Fiji this month.

Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service has confirmed to SunLive they have had three reported cases - one last year in March and two so far this year.

Bay of Plenty has had three cases of the Zika virus in the last year. Photo: CDC.

Medical Officer of Health Dr Phil Shoemack says Toi Te Ora were notified of the first case last year after an individual had travelled to Vanuatu.

He says the two recent cases were reported in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Western Bay of Plenty.

'Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service has been notified of two cases of Zika virus infection so far in 2016. One case had travelled to Tonga in February and the other to Fiji in May.

'Last year we were notified of one case with the individual having travelled to Vanuatu.”

Phil says Zika virus is spread by species of mosquitoes which are found in a number of tropical countries, but not in New Zealand.

'The concern is that the virus has spread to countries such as Brazil, which until recently had not reported it.”

He says research completed this year has led the World Health Organisation to confirm when a woman contracts the Zika infection during pregnancy, there is a risk of the infection causing abnormalities in the baby.

However, Zika virus infection usually results in a relatively mild illness with a low grade fever and some joint pain.

'Dengue fever is a much more common and more severe illness both globally and in New Zealanders. Like Zika it is also spread by mosquitoes found in tropical countries,” says Phil.

'So far in 2016, Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service has been notified of three cases of Dengue in Kiwis who have returned from overseas. Last year we received five notifications of dengue.”

Phil says both of these illnesses are a good reminder when travelling to tropical areas it is important to take practical precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

'Use a DEET based insect repellant, wear long sleeve clothing, use mosquito nets if they are provided and ask the local population of any known mosquito hot spots that should be avoided altogether.”

Phil says once a notifiable disease is reported to the Medical Officer of Health, a follow-up takes place with the aim of confirming how the illness was contracted.

Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service is notified of several hundred cases of infectious disease each year, says Phil.

'An assessment is made during the investigation phase of each specific case or outbreak to see whether there is a need to provide the public with any information or advice in order to prevent further spread.

'Some notifiable diseases such as Zika are not spread directly from one person to another. With respect to Zika it is spread by mosquitoes which are not found in New Zealand,” says Phil.

'Therefore the standard advice to travellers is to take practical steps to prevent being bitten when in the affected tropical countries.”

According to the World Health Organisation, 60 countries and territories continue to report cases of the Zika virus being transmitted by mosquito.

Zika is mainly a threat to unborn children and can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects.