Zika Virus: ‘Some Nigerians are immune to disease,’ Health Minister says

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has said that some Nigerians are immune to the Zika Virus.

Adewole however warned citizens to protect themselves adding that the mosquito that spreads the disease is present in Nigeria.

“Nigerian scientists working in Western Nigeria in 1954 discovered Zika virus in Nigeria. Further studies in the years 1975 to 1979 showed that 40 per cent of Nigeria adults and 25 per cent of Nigerian children have antibodies to Zika virus, meaning they are protected against this virus,” the minister said at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, February 10, 2016

“Despite the fact that some Nigerians are immune to the Zika virus infection as demonstrated by previous studies, it is important and advisable that Nigerians should be careful and protect themselves from mosquito bites.

The Zika outbreak has been named a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is believed to have cause birth defects in many Brazilian children..