According to reports, the confirmation on whether Zika is being carried by mosquitoes locally will be made after scientists survey houses and people within a 150-meter radius of the cases.
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He cited state health officials’ efforts to trap a Zika infected mosquito, and continued investigation into possible sexual transmission of the virus among the suspect case patients.
Zika infections during pregnancy are now linked to more than 1,700 cases of microcephaly, the severe shrunken skull and brain birth defect. The two primary mosquito species capable of transmitting Zika virus have not been detected in Sacramento County, according to the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking blood centers in two Florida counties to immediately stop collections. “By taking preventive measures and monitoring your health when you return, you can protect yourself and help limit the spread of Zika to others”. Both men and women can spread the virus sexually, although the vast majority of infections are caused by mosquito bites. The blood samples of the deceased case were found to have high amounts of Zika virus, more than 100,000 times higher than found in other samples of infected people.
In recent weeks, PHE has amended advice on preventing sexual transmission to reflect the latest World Health Organization recommendation, which states that asymptomatic men should use condoms for eight weeks following return from areas where transmission of Zika virus is known to occur.
The main supplier of blood in Florida announced last week that it would start testing donated blood for the Zika virus on August 1.
FDA said it will continue to monitor the situation in Florida in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health authorities and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
“These cases fit similar transmission patterns for mosquito-borne diseases such as Chikungunya that we’ve seen in South Florida in years past”.
“There is a risk to Albertans of contracting Zika virus if they travel to countries where Zika virus circulates”, Alberta Health said on its webpage.
In addition to mosquitoes, the Zika virus can be transmitted through sex. Twelve American women have had babies with Zika-related birth defects.
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So far, cases outside of Latin America and the Caribbean have only been due to people travelling to that region, or have been sexual transmitted.
