Tropical Southeast Asian countries say they were bracing for the mosquito-borne Zika virus, with Malaysia saying it could “spread quickly” if introduced, but Thailand reporting just a handful of cases a year.
Advertisement
Most of those who get Zika show no symptoms, making it tough for pregnant women to know if it’s in their system. It has reported about 3,700 cases of microcephaly that are strongly suspected to be related to Zika. Burkhalter Travel, a local travel agency in Madison, says they started warning clients last week who have trips planned to infected areas.
Four Canadians have been infected with the Zika virus after traveling to affected countries, according to Canadian government health officials.
El Salvador has urged women in the Central American nation to delay getting pregnant until 2018, as the Zika virus rages on. Now that it’s potentially linked to a serious birth defect – babies born with microcephaly (smaller heads), which affects brain development – there is much more concern.
“Zika is different in that if an infected individual comes back into the US and a mosquito bites that person during the first couple of weeks that they’re sick, there is the possibility that mosquito could become infected with the virus and then could transmit it to another individual”, she said.
Public Health England (PHE) said all men should use condoms for 28 days after coming home from countries like Brazil and Mexico if their partner was at risk of pregnancy, or already pregnant.
However, with the onset of spring and summer, the risk of Zika virus transmission in Europe will grow, as mosquitoes find better breeding grounds in warmer climates.
So far, the only cases of Zika in the U.S. have been among travellers returning from affected countries.
The most common symptoms of Zika are fevers, rashes, joint pain and conjunctivitis. The 32 cases, now in the United States, are among people who traveled.
Advertisement
The World Health Organization said Monday that the whole continent is susceptible to virus, except for Canada and Chile.
