South Korea has confirmed the first case of a patient being infected with the South America-originated Zika virus, Yonhap news agency reported.

The South Korean health authorities announced Tuesday. The announcement sparked fears that the contagious virus that could cause birth defects will spread throughout the country.

A 43-year-old man tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus after traveling to Brazil between mid-February and early March, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The patient, who returned home on March 11, has been quarantined and treated at a hospital in Gwangju, some 329 kilometers south of Seoul.

The authorities said they are closely tracking his movements and colleagues in South Korea after his arrival.

The World Health Organization has declared that the Zika virus outbreak a global emergency.

Zika was first discovered in Africa, and has spread to parts of Asia and Latin America, including many Caribbean countries.

Source: MENA