In July, the country then reported an increase in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), followed by an unusual increase in microcephaly among newborns in late October.
Advertisement
“If we just take that as an approximation, we know already that there are thousands of cases in just one part of Brazil, so the expectation across the Americas as a whole is many more thousands of cases”.
On Feb. 27, France said it had detected its first sexually transmitted case of Zika in a woman whose partner had travelled to Brazil.
Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly in babies. Detection of microcephaly and other fetal abnormalities typically comes about six months later, World Health Organization officials said, as pregnancies of infected women come to term. Transfusions could also spread the virus more quickly than it would have otherwise. The individual has been advised to keep indoors and stay protected from mosquitoes.
Centers for Disease Control and Disease Prevention even estimated that virus will spread to one-quarter of the island’s population in a year that accounts for 3.5 million people and there is fear that somewhat 80% or more may get infected.
“We do know that, in general, once somebody is bitten by an infected mosquito, it usually takes a week for them to have symptoms and usually a week later the virus is gone from their body”, Tosh says.
The PAHO said there is no evidence that Zika can cause death, but some cases have been reported with more serious complications in patients with pre-existing medical conditions. Zika virus likely will continue to spread to new areas, the CDC said.
He said there was nothing to panic at this moment, but he stressed on mosquito control which is the only tool to prevent and fight off Zika. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).
Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.is also working with the Kauai Civil Defense Agency and the Kauai District Health Office.
“The kind of urgent action called for by this public health emergency should not wait for definitive proof”, she insisted.
The greatest danger facing those who contract Zika is a birth defect known as microcephaly, state officials said.
Except in pregnant women, Zika is nearly always a very mild illness and for most people testing is not necessary. Zika has an incubation period of as long as two weeks.
Advertisement
NY is making available 20,000 free Zika Protection Kits to pregnant women, which contain educational materials, insect repellent, condoms and larvicide tablets to treat standing water.
