A third case of the Zika virus in Denton County has been detected in a Lewisville resident who recently traveled to Nicaragua, county health officials said Tuesday.
Advertisement
The statement didn’t specify whether the case was believed to have been transmitted by mosquito bite, sexual contact or some other means. There has yet to be a case of local transmission via mosquito in the continental United States, but local outbreaks are considered likely as the weather warms, health officials have said.
Zika prevention kits and repellant will be available for pickup at the Department of Health (Miami-Dade) and distributed in the area under investigation.
Health authorities in Utah are investigating a unique case of Zika found in a person who had been caring for a relative who had an unusually high level of the virus in his blood. Gupta convened the West Virginia Zika Task Force, consisting of multiple state agencies in March 2016 to begin preparedness efforts relating to Zika virus. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week, though there can be profound impact to a developing fetus should the mother contract the virus.
For women, this includes preventing pregnancy for eight weeks after the onset of symptoms. “Those considering travel to areas with Zika should take appropriate precautions against the virus”.
Federal authorities have a 58-page plan for responding to even a single local transmission. The virus has also been linked to a rare paralyzing condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Unfortunately, as things stand, there are too many variables to consider in the case – such as how the deceased patient’s unusually high viral load plays into all this – revealing just how little experts know about Zika. One baby has been born in Florida with Zika-related microcephaly, although mom and baby were infected outside of the states.
Advertisement
The CDC advises pregnant women not to travel to an area where active Zika transmission is ongoing, and to use insect repellent if they are in those areas.
