The possibility of a Zika virus transmission in South Korea is very slim, despite the first confirmed case of a South Korean patient infected with the mosquito-borne virus, the health authorities said Wednesday.

The patient, a 43-year-old Korean man, had a mosquito bite during his business trip to Brazil between mid-February and early March and was confirmed to be infected with the virus after returning home on March 11.

"The patient hasn't donated blood and hasn't been bitten by a mosquito since his arrival," said an official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP).

"There is a slim possibility of the virus spreading to others via mosquito during the winter when mosquitoes are inactive."

Zika, first discovered in Africa, is mostly transmitted by mosquitoes and has spread to parts of Asia and Latin America, including many Caribbean countries.

The virus, while rarely fatal, can survive in the blood stream for days, and poses problems for pregnant women and their babies.

But there are currently no vaccines available at present.

According to the CDCP, the patient was discharged from a hospital in Gwangju, some 329 kilometers south of Seoul, after a few days of treatment.

The CDCP official said the doctors let him go home as they had not found any problems or symptoms.

"But quarantine officials and doctors will look closely at him to check for any development of possible complications," the official said. "We're also monitoring the patient's family."

Despite the first confirmed Zika case, the CDCP maintained the alert level at the current "attention" status, citing that the Zika virus is less contagious and has a relatively low fatality rate. (Yonhap)