The Brazilian city of Recife and surrounding Pernambuco state remain the epicenter of the Zika virus outbreak, which has now spread to many countries in the Americas.
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Northern Kentucky’s first case of the Zika virus was confirmed late last month in a Boone County man. He had a history of traveling to an area where Zika is prevalent, and he was diagnosed upon his return.
Naturally, the partisans disagree over which side is more heartless in its disregard for pregnant women and their babies at risk of developing Zika-related microcephaly.
“While the results have yielded negative, with the regional outbreak in mind, we should not be complacent and medical personnel should remain on high alert to look for any imported cases”, said Dr Williams-Rodriguez.
While Zika virus vaccines or antiviral medications have yet to be approved, researchers have confirmed that a benign bacteria called Wolbachia pipientis is able to completely block transmission of the virus, opening the door to a potentially low-priced approach for controlling mosquito-borne viral diseases such as Zika virus.
Dr. Cameron Kaiser said the man likely became infected with Zika virus during his travels to the Dominican Republic, where Zika-infected mosquitoes are present. Health professionals in the United States are preparing for the possibility of an epidemic of Zika which can be transmitted by mosquitoes. For broken fountains or wells, drop chlorine tablets in them to stop mosquitoes from breeding. Many people who contract Zika virus infection have mild or no symptoms.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest this week indicated the administration is not ready to budge, despite the warmer weather and spread of mosquitoes that bear the virus.
Zika is typically transmitted to people by a bite from an infected mosquito, however, it also can be spread from mother to unborn child, through sexual contact, and through blood transfusions.
Though Zika was discovered in 1947, Higgs said, there had been less than 50 cases of it until 2007.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Tuesday it has funded a study to determine what puts people at risk for infection and how long individuals can carry the virus.
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The Rio Olympics have yet to begin, but they’ve already been marred by water pollution, construction delays and concerns over the Zika virus.
