Although mosquito bites are primarily the mode of infection for the Zika virus, Thomas says there’s been some reports of infections spread by blood transfusion or sexual contact.
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The Valley’s non-profit blood provider is turning away donations from anyone who has traveled to locations affected by the virus.
The regional office of the United Blood Services is asking potential donors who have traveled to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America not to donate blood for 28 days after leaving those areas, according to a news release.
This limitation is also coming at the worst time of the year. She says a pint from one donor could possibly save three lives, but that it’s tough to gauge knowing many surgeries require dozens of pints of blood per patient.
There haven’t been any confirmed cases of the Zika virus in South Dakota yet. Prather said when the summer months do come, people can take precautions to avoid providing breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that carry the virus.
If you’ve been to an area affected by the virus, you’ll have to wait in order to donate blood.
Community Blood Bank donor recruiter Rita Nelson said “a lot of our donors will travel, but not all of them will go out of the United States. We want to make it the most safe and ample blood supply we possibly can”, Bredahl said.
A spokesperson with the non-profit United Blood Services said this restriction is expected to reduce the number of eligible donors in the U.S.by about 2 percent.
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Last week, the American Red Cross announced a similar 28-day waiting period for travelers wanting to donate blood.
