While there are no confirmed cases of Zika virus in Pennsylvania, the state Health Department says it’s investigating 6 to 8 cases.
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Previous year six cases were reported and 57 in 2014.
Federal health officials have posted Zika travel notices about countries in Central and South America and in the Caribbean.
Last year, there were reported cases of the Zika virus in Frech Polynesia, Easter Island and Samoa.
A worker fumigates the Plan 3000 District as a preventive measure against the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
“One is that this mosquito is not here, that transmits these diseases, which is a really good thing”.
The World Health Organization predicts as many as four million people could become infected in the Americas. A spike in birth defects has been seen in Brazil – a condition known as microcephaly that results in a smaller, underdeveloped brain. Because the virus is linked to birth defects, expectant moms are being warned not to travel to countries battling the virus. As of Friday evening, there were at least 31 confirmed cases in the United States. “So the risk of Zika virus infection in Canada is considered very low”.
The virus’ symptoms tend to be slight, and include fever, rash, pain or conjunctivitis.
At this time, there is no vaccine for the virus.
All the people diagnosed with the virus had returned to NY from countries where the Zika virus is ongoing.
Nigeria’s minister of health Isaac Adewole said the travel restriction, especially on pregnant women, will be on until the situation improves worldwide. There is still much we don’t know about this virus.
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Meantime, Canada and cities like Kamloops are likely not to be impacted because we have different species of mosquitos.
