Along with the new case transmitted locally through sex, Canada has confirmed 55 Zika infections, all related to travel to other countries.
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“As seasonal temperatures begin to rise in Europe, two species of Aedes mosquito which we know transmit the virus will begin to circulate”, said Kieny. All who contracted the virus were infected while travelling to Zika-affected regions, including South and Central America, parts of Mexico, and the Caribbean.
The agency said on Tuesday in Ottawa that the infection was confirmed after a testing at the agency’s National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.
Now in the US, any reported Zika cases have been due to transmission via sexual intercourse, but mosquito-bite transmission could be possible as temperatures increase and and more mosquitos are biting.
PHAC advises travelers and their sexual partners who return from countries affected by Zika to take precautions to protect themselves against the virus. The patient is a pregnant woman who had travelled to Nicaragua.
Between January 3 and April 2, 91,387 suspected cases of Zika were reported, with a disproportionate share (30,286) in the poorer northeast of the country, the Health Ministry said yesterday.
There is no treatment or vaccine for the disease and scientists are concerned the virus will spread during the summer mosquito-breeding season. Typically, symptoms are mild and include fever, rash, joint soreness and/or redness of eyes.
WHO Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny addressed the possibility of an expanding range for the mosquitoes that spread the Zika virus.
Global efforts are being spent to contain the Zika virus and unveil its hidden truths.
The virus has caused concern among public health officials primarily because of its link to a birth defect, known as microcephaly, in which babies are born with unusually small heads and underdeveloped brains.
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◦ If you must travel, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.
