Pregnant women and women who are trying to become pregnant should discuss their travel plans with their healthcare providers and consider postponing their travel to affected areas, especially to areas with increasing or widespread transmission.
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Because of those cases, the CDC says men and women who have traveled to high risk areas should abstain from sex.
Obstetricians have said that since 80 percent of those infected by the virus show no symptoms, it leaves many pregnant women no way of knowing early enough to make an informed choice about their unborn child. Health officials are also saying four more people in Dallas, who have recently traveled, may have been infected with the Zika virus.
It also stressed that “the diagnosed cases of Zika virus in Spain… don’t risk spreading the virus in our country as they are imported cases”.
Are you concerned about news it could be sexually transmittable?
Although the Zika virus stays in a person’s blood for only up to a week after the individual is infected, it’s unknown how long the virus could stay in a man’s semen.
“Attention should be given to ensuring women of childbearing age and particularly pregnant women have the necessary information and materials to reduce risk of exposure”, the World Health Organization said in a February 1 statement.
The virus is now circulating in parts of Mexico, Cape Verde, and 26 other countries in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Oceania.
Puerto Rico this week reported its first case of a pregnant woman with Zika and its first case of a man diagnosed with Zika who developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause temporary paralysis. Testing of people who traveled to affected areas and have experienced symptoms is ongoing.
The explosive spread of the virus that has been linked to a surge in babies born withmicrocephaly – a smaller than normal head which is usually accompanied by severe brain damage.
Puerto Rico’s governor has declared a health emergency as more Zika-related cases emerge across the USA territory.
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There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which has caused outbreaks in at least 26 countries in the Americas. But Myrna Bonaldo, one of the scientists who made the discovery, noted that this ‘is not proof that it can contaminate other people through those fluids.’ But the foundation urged pregnant women to take precautions and avoid crowds during Carnival.
