The same species of mosquito that spreads Zika, Aedes, is also found in Far North Queensland, but health authorities say there is little chance of the area suffering a similar outbreak.
Advertisement
It has since spread to parts of Asia and Latin America and is a serious problem in some Caribbean countries.
Experts say it could take years to come up with a vaccine for Zika given the lack of medical knowledge about the virus, though one leading developer said on Thursday that a vaccine for emergency use could be ready before year-end.
There is now no specific treatment for Zika, and no way to prevent it other than to avoid mosquito bites.
Loren Robinson of the Pennsylvania Department of Health said Friday that each person being tested had traveled to an area affected by Zika.
President Dilma Rousseff and her United States counterpart Barack Obama discussed their “shared concerns” about the virus’ progress, the White House said.
Health officials are advising pregnant women and those planning pregnancy to adopt necessary anti-mosquito precautions, and consider deferring travel. He said the agency expects “huge numbers” of infections because of the widespread presence of the Aedes mosquitoes that spread Zika and because people in the region have no natural immunity.
CNN’s Shasta Darlington visited what’s become as “ground zero” for the Zika virus: Recife, Brazil and met a woman whose infant son has the birth defect linked to the virus.
According to the latest epidemiological bulletin, as of the third week in January a total of 1,911 pregnant women tested positive for Zika, with 176 of them confirmed by the INS virological laboratory and the others notified by the clinics treating them.
Having eliminated the insect in the 1950s, Brazil is battling its resurgence with redoubled efforts as 4,000 birth defects have been reported this season there. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
“Pregnant women have the same risk as the rest of the population of being infected with Zika virus”.
“Right now, we are in the pre-clinical stage, as I suspect everyone is”, said Chief Executive Officer Dr Elliot Parks. Most are showing mild symptoms.
Advertisement
Another private vaccine developer, Boston-based Replikins Ltd, said it was preparing to start animal studies on a Zika vaccine in the next 10 days.
