Two other people from the northern Thailand who accompanied the patient to Taiwan were tested negative for the zika virus, which is similar to dengue fever.
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Mosquitoes are blamed for an outbreak of the Zika virus. If a pregnant woman is infected by the Zika virus circulating in the country, the baby could be at greater risk for a rare birth defect called microcephaly. The Colombian government has warned women that they should delay becoming pregnant for six to eight months, until the disease is under control.
According to Brazilian health authorities, more than 3,500 microcephaly cases were reported in Brazil between October 2015 and January 2016. In the worst affected area, about one per cent of newborns have suspected microcephaly.
Dr. Johnson says, pregnant women who have visited any of these countries recently should contact their physician.
Bell stressed that there are still many unknowns about the Zika virus.
HONOLULU (AP) – Health officials say a baby born in a Hawaii hospital is the first in the USA with a birth defect linked to the Zika virus, a tropical illness now found in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
But for pregnant women, the virus can be transmitted to the fetus, triggering brain damage like microcephaly in which the brain and skull are abnormally small.
Climate change could be responsible for the recent spread of mosquito-transmitted viruses.
Two cases were reported in pregnant women who traveled to IL, and doctors are now monitoring the mothers’ pregnancies and overall health.
According to the CDC website, Zika outbreaks have occurred in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas, particularly Brazil.
The travel alert applies to Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
A traveler returning to the United States from El Salvador in November fell ill with fever, rash and joint pain.
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Since there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika, CDC advised travelers to protect themselves from this disease by taking steps to prevent mosquito bites. The advice includes wearing long sleeves and long trousers and using insect repellent.
