Tokyo, Feb 26 (IANS) Japan is to grant $1 million in emergency aid to help curb the outbreak of the Zika virus in Latin America.
The government announced on Friday that it will provide the grant aid through four international bodies, including the World Health Organisation and UN Children's Fund, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The aid will be used in such affected countries as Brazil and Honduras. It will go toward preventing infection, as well as to inform people of proper treatment and ways to exterminate mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said assisting affected regions in curbing and ending the outbreak will help to prevent more cases of the virus from reaching Japan.
Health authorities confirmed on Thursday that a teenage boy living near Tokyo had been infected with the virus. The boy had spent some time in Brazil.
