“There is adequate medication available in the public health system at this time to treat the symptoms of Zika virus infection in the event of additional cases being identified”, the government said. In this vaccine, a piece of Zika’s genetic structure would be inserted into another harmless virus, and used to prompt an immune response.
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The health authorities asked medical facilities to advise pregnant women not to visit the Zika areas, conduct test on suspected patients returning from the areas and send samples to the national lab. In a statement, DSHS said all the people diagnosed with Zika traveled to areas where the virus is spreading.
Researchers suspect a link between the the birth defect microcephaly in infants and pregnant women with the virus. About 80 percent of those infected experience no symptoms, making it hard for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected. “We need to ensure that federal agencies are working closely together and with the global community to stop its rapid spread”, added Republican Ron Johnson, chairman of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Brazil said this week about 3,700 cases of microcephaly are being studied for signs of Zika. The 44-year-old patient had reportedly contracted the virus during an outbreak of the disease in French Polynesia.
The Zika virus has made its way to Georgia and now the Coastal Health District is issuing a warning to keep everyone safe.
The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition in newborns marked by abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly.
There were also reports of another case in Arkansas. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is like dengue and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes.
Officials from the CDC assure the public that the virus primarily spreads through mosquitoes, and not from person to person, so an outbreak is unlikely, especially during the cold winter months.
Travellers should protect themselves against Zika virus by taking protective measures to prevent mosquito bites and consult their health care provider before travelling. All of the cases, which are in 11 states and the District of Columbia, involve people becoming infected outside the country and then traveling to the United States.
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Brazil has reported as many as 1.5 million cases of Zika infection.
