The two healthy babies were born to mothers who reported Zika virus symptoms in their second or third trimesters. One of them delivered a seemingly healthy baby and the other is continuing her pregnancy without complications.
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The CDC is investigating more than a dozen possible cases of sexually transmitted Zika in the U.S., Modie said.
Of the six women who tested positive for Zika during the first trimester, one pregnancy is ongoing. Because of this, the CDC recommends that men who live in or travel to Zika infected areas should not have sex with a pregnant partner. Two pregnancies ended in miscarriages. Doctors don’t know how long Zika remains in the semen, and Frieden said the report underscores the importance of proper condom use.
Mosquito-borne Zika outbreaks have erupted across most of Latin America and the Caribbean in the previous year.
“At this time, the risk of Zika virus being spread by mosquitoes in Virginia is low, but during mosquito season, mosquitoes do carry other viruses, like West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis virus”, said State Health Commissioner Dr. Marissa J. Levine. The CDC says it’s not clear if contracting Zika during the first trimester led to the miscarriages or the microcephaly case.
While the link between Zika and the birth defect has not been confirmed, the possibility has prompted health officials to take cautionary steps to protect fetuses. Non-pregnant travelers with Zika symptoms are also be eligible for testing and may discuss this option with their healthcare provider. It recommends that pregnant women postpone trips to those areas.
“We don’t have any proof at this point that this Zika infection during pregnancy is actually responsible for those birth defects, but as a precaution I think it makes sense”, he said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been no reported mosquito-transmitted cases of Zika in the continental U.S. A few cases in this country have been reported via sexual transmission. All of them are USA citizens who reportedly contracted the disease while in one of the central or south American countries or territories now experiencing Zika outbreaks, then traveled to the United States.
The Art of Travel has also seen some people asking questions about Zika risks, while Uniglobe hasn’t seen much, if any, Zika impact.
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The virus – mainly spread by through mosquito bites – causes mild illness or no symptoms in most people. It detects antibodies in the blood from four days to 12 weeks after symptoms begin.
