IL public health officials said Tuesday two pregnant women have been diagnosed with the Zika virus.
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Women trying to become pregnant should consult with their healthcare providers before traveling to these areas and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip, the release added.
The Zika virus has little if any chance of spreading in the United States, the CDC said, largely thanks to the Aedes mosquito’s distaste of cold weather and air-conditioning.
Those who test positive should be offered an ultrasound to check the fetus’s head size or check for calcium deposits in the brain, two indicators of microcephaly.
The Zika virus has no known vaccine available, but the CDC suggests giving acetaminophen to cure the fever.
Last Friday, the CDC issued a travel warning for 14 countries and territories exposed to the Zika virus, which has been linked to a torrent of birth defects in Brazil.
Brazilian health officials say the number of cases of microcephaly, a rare brain defect in babies, has risen to 3,893 since authorities began investigating the surge in cases in October. Babies with the condition have abnormally small heads, resulting in developmental issues and in some cases death.
A pregnant woman who traveled to these places will have to be tested for the Zika virus as well as for dengue fever and chikungunya.
The Department of Health hopes to reassure Florida citizens that none of the cases were locally-acquired, but are hoping people take proper precautions from the mosquite-borne virus. The CDC recommends any pregnant women should consider postponing travel to those areas.
And those living in areas that are home to the species of mosquito that can carry Zika should move to higher altitude cities if possible.
“There is a link between Zika virus infection and subsequent birth defects in women, although more research is needed to really shore up that link”, Shah said. Tests to confirm Zika will require advanced laboratory capabilities beyond what is available in most local hospitals. It has been found in some pockets of the islands and is blamed for an ongoing outbreak on the Big Island of the dengue virus, which is spread the same way as Zika.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the advice Tuesday.
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Travelers heading to the previously mentioned nations are advised to use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved clothing and hats and sleep under mosquito nets. Officials say the virus is common in regions where mosquitoes are still thriving, including many countries in Central and South America, but IL residents shouldn’t be anxious.
