The Kwara state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulaiman Atolagbe Alege, has called on Kwarans to always inculcate personal hygiene and keep their environment clean to avert outbreak of Zika fever.

Alege who stated this yesterday while speaking to the Herald Health Correspondent in his office, in Ilorin, said "zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes mostly active during the day."

He noted that people need to take protective measures to prevent mosquito bite throughout the day, saying it was important that all travelers should avoid all affected areas like Latin.

According to him, the disease was not yet in Nigeria but warned people traveling outside the country to keep off from the infected areas for now.

He however urged people not to panic about the virus but to maintain personal hygiene always, in order to avoid the spread of diseases in the state.

Also speaking on the spread of the virus, the state Epidermiology, Dr Oguntoye Michael said zika fever is caused by zica virus, a member of the genus flavivirus similar to dengue fever.

Oguntoye said cases of zika fever had previously been reported in Africa, Southern Asia and Latin America, saying the outbreaks have occurred throughout the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the western hemisphere.

According to him, there were concerns that pregnant women who become infected with zika virus could transmit the disease to their unborn babies, with potential serious consequences.

He said that most infected areas demonstrate an increase in several foetal birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes in babies whose mothers were infected with zika virus while pregnant.

The state epidemiology therefore advised pregnant women not to travel to affected areas and as well take all precautions to avoid mosquito bites.