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Chicago Has Its First Confirmed Case Of The Zika Virus

Zika transmission through sexual intercourse and blood transfusions is possible, but researchers blame most human cases on bites from Zika-infected mosquitoes. Sexual transmission is less common”, Marcella Bobinsky, acting director of public health at DHHS, said in a statement.

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Both cases of Zika that have been found in Travis County were contracted while traveling in other countries.

However, the health department also confirmed that the female patient was not pregnant and that she was not hospitalized.

Brazillian authorities have reported hundreds of cases of children born with microcephaly amid a large outbreak of the virus across South America.

SA Health said symptoms of Zika included fever, joint or muscle pain, headaches, skin rash or conjunctivitis.

A Zika test was sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, which showed a positive result.

SA Health chief medical officer Paddy Phillips did not say where the affected man had caught the virus, citing privacy concerns.

Zika virus in pregnant women has been linked to microcephaly, a serious birth defect of the brain.

There is no risk of transmission of the disease by the child, according to Dallin Peterson, Utah epidemiologist for the Zika virus. Symptoms are usually mild and last several days to a week. There is now no specific treatment for the disease and no way to prevent it other than avoiding mosquito bites.

The health agency has also urged pregnant women or those hoping to become pregnant to avoid Zika-endemic areas in general.

There are now more than 110 Zika cases in the United States, all in people infected overseas, according to the CDC.

“You should not panic, it won’t affect most people”, Bhayani said.

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Eight of the pregnant women are from Chiapas, two are from Oaxaca, and one is from the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, the health ministry reported.

Zika Virus Pregnant Women