Zika virus could also be related to an increase in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune disorder that can cause paralysis; however, travel advisories have not been based on the possible threat of the syndrome. Officials said Friday that 21 of those cases involve pregnant women.
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The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health received laboratory confirmation Thursday, March 10, of the state’s first case of the virus. Most of the destinations in the travel warning are in Latin America or the Caribbean. A locally-transmitted case has been confirmed in Puerto Rico.
“With the number of Zika outbreaks occurring in many parts of the world where West Virginians travel for vacation, business or mission work, the likelihood of a finding a Zika case in our state was foreseeable.”-Dr”.
The Forsyth County Health Department is working with the state, doctors and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help with testing and diagnosing people who’ve come from areas of widespread Zika virus. They found that the mosquito that spreads the Zika virus, known as Aedes aegypti, is unlikely to live in areas above 6,500 feet (2,000 m).
Authorities were already offering tests for pregnant women who had traveled to affected areas, or for anyone exhibiting signs of the virus.
Philippine health officials have advised pregnant women to consider deferring nonessential travel to Zika-hit countries and worked to raise public awareness on how to fight infections, including by using insect repellents and wearing protective clothing. And those that do usually develop mild symptoms – fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.
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Sparks advises anyone traveling to those countries to take measures to avoid mosquito bites.
