The CDC reports 279 pregnant women in the United States and its territories (including Puerto Rico) have “laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection”. But recently published reports have found that some pregnant women show no symptoms of Zika infection, yet still give birth to babies with a severe brain defect known as microcephaly. Since the virus outbreak, the American government discouraged pregnant women to travel to Zika-affected places.
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President Obama was briefed by the top health officials from CDC regarding the matter.
The Zika virus has struck 86 New York City residents – including 14 pregnant women, according to the latest city Health Department tally.
The change also reflects the insidious nature of a disease that has caused much of the American public to shrug, but has doctors and health officials alarmed. The funds will be used to control mosquitos that carry the Zika virus, raise awareness of Zika virus disease, provide education on how to reduce risk of becoming infected, and accelerate development of a vaccine.
Outbreaks, linked largely to mosquito bites, have so far mainly hit countries in the Americas. As many as 80 per cent of people infected never develop symptoms.
The man and woman are the second and third confirmed Zika infections among Arizona residents who traveled to nations where the virus is circulating.
Dr. Margaret Honein, chief of the CDC’s birth defects branch, said the agency is aware of “less than a dozen” pregnancies that have had complications, but since numerous pregnancies are still ongoing, birth defects could be seen after the births of the babies.
Officials said the count includes diagnoses made over several months, and while numerous women in the count still are pregnant, some of the pregnancies have ended since the women were diagnosed. The Obama administration had requested $1.9 billion in emergency funding.
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The African countries should also encourage people to protect themselves against mosquito bites and sexual transmission, she said. “One of the priorities of funding is to develop a fast and accurate test that can be widely available”, Phillips said. The Senate has approved $1.1 billion; the House has approved $622 million.
