MELBOURNE, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) — A pregnant woman has been revealed as the Australian state of Victoria's first confirmed Zika virus case - and the second Australian case involving a pregnant woman - Victoria's Health Minister said on Friday.

The woman, whose details were not released to the media, was recently traveling through affected South American countries while she was pregnant, and contracted the virus before returning to Australia in "recent weeks."

The virus has been linked to causing a birth defect in newborns, who develop an abnormally small head due to stunted growth in the womb. There is currently no cure for the virus which mostly presents "mild" symptoms.

On Friday, Victoria's Health Minister Jill Hennessy has reiterated a warning for pregnant women to avoid travel to areas susceptible to Zika virus, such as those countries in South and Latin America.

"We are advising all people, but especially pregnant women, or women who may be in trying or intending to get pregnant, to avoid travelling to those countries and places where there has been Zika outbreaks," she said.

The minister also told all travelers to "get access to good quality information" before traveling to Zika hotspots.

The news follows revelations from Queensland earlier this week of a pregnant woman from southeast Queensland also being diagnosed with the virus.