United States researchers announced plans Tuesday to conduct a vast study on health risks faced by pregnant women in areas where Zika virus is prevalent, particularly in Latin America. An additional 190 pregnant women appear to have the infection in USA territories.
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Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles joined other state officials and science experts on May 9 to announce a partnership of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) to prevent the spread of Zika virus in Kentucky. He noted that Puerto Rico has not yet reached the typical peak of mosquito-fueled disease outbreaks, which occurs over the summer and into the fall.
This map represents the number of people living in New York City and born in countries with active Zika virus transmission.
This poses a serious concern for infected adults, especially pregnant women because the virus causes a serious birth defect in babies called microencephaly, which targets the child’s brain.
Hotez said the new medical approach would need to cross borders and suggested studying how pediatric specialists responded to a wave of HIV cases of babies born to mothers infected with that virus 30 years ago.
If the new traps find evidence of Zika-carrying mosquitoes or the virus, officials will discuss whether control methods such as spraying are appropriate, Hanft said. The center has tested over 9,000 donations with no positives, CDC officials said.
‘Nobody expected Zika, and before that nobody expected Chikungunya, ‘ he said.
Frieden said it can only detect the virus if it is now present in the blood, and cannot show past infections.
As of June 20 there have 42 cases of Zika Virus reported in Texas, but are all travel related according to the CDC. In February, the Food and Drug Administration said anyone infected by – or even potentially exposed to – the virus should wait at least four weeks before donating blood. The virus has also been linked to eye defects, hearing loss and impaired growth.
USA health officials are increasingly anxious that Zika will strike the US territory of Puerto Rico and Gulf Coast states on the mainland as the mosquito season starts to heat up this summer.
A total of nine human cases of Zika had been previously confirmed in Dallas County this year.
One case has been reported in southwest Kansas, while two others have been reported in northeast Kansas.
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The warning advises travellers to Indonesia to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
