Delaware’s first case of Zika virus was confirmed February 9, but public health officials say there is no risk to the community.
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Richard Leman with Oregon Division of Public Health said the woman is Oregon’s first Zika case of 2016, but probably not the last.
State officials – in line with CDC guidelines – are advising pregnant woman to postpone travel to affected parts of the Americas and the Caribbean.
There was a case in Texas in which Zika was transmitted sexually, but Glatt said that was a very rare occurrence. Zika can cause a rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis and fever. She has since recovered.
The Zika virus, which is spread by mosquito bites and sexual contact and causes microcephaly in newborns, is rapidly becoming a larger global concern and needs a priority to nations world-wide. “It can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby during pregnancy or around the time of birth”, stated the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The concern over the virus comes from new evidence linking it with birth defects, and specifically microcephaly, in which a baby’s head is smaller than it should be.
“The impact is on the unborn child”, Maduka-Ezeh said. “If you are pregnant, consider postponing your trip”.
Officials said the individual had recently traveled out of the country and had a mild case of Zika. The mosquito bites during the daytime, not the evening. Other teams are working on other aspects of the response, such as reaching out to state and local health departments to protect pregnant women. “At present there are still questions about its transmission through sex and other avenues”. We have raised awareness so people are more aware of the infections. They also genetically sequenced the virus, which could help further research into the suspected link.
In one case, the CDC states, transmission occurred a few days before the man developed symptoms.
As long as there is air travel on a mass scale globally, there will be no end to the Zika infection rate.
“Given the number of travelers between OH and Zika virus-affected countries, it would not be a surprise to see more cases”, health department medical director Dr. Mary DiOrio said in a release.
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Researchers say that the genetic makeup of the virus indicates that it could be susceptible to a vaccine. “We have had seven cases, six associated with the current outbreak in South America, in the past three years”, he told MPs on 10 February. “If the Olympics were today, I would not go”, she said. “What can we do to control the mosquitoes?”
