There have been no reported cases of Zika virus contracted from a mosquito bite in Missouri.
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Both the World Health Organization and the CDC have said that Zika is definitively linked to the alarming rise in microcephaly, a birth defect in which babies are born with small heads and damaged brains, as well as other birth defects, learning delays, and vision and hearing problems.
Frieden repeated CDC guidance that pregnant women shouldn’t travel to areas affected by the virus, including Brazil, site of the summer Olympics.
US officials are anticipating local cases of Zika infection since the mosquito that is the primary vector is found throughout the South, as well as parts of the Southwest and even Midwest.
The latest report from Department of Health epidemiologist Scott Anesi shows there are now 654 suspectedcases and 23 confirmed cases of Zika. USA and worldwide health officials have advised pregnant women to avoid travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries where they may be exposed to Zika.
Zika usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week; after that, making a diagnosis can be more hard. The best prevention measure is to avoid mosquito bites in areas with virus transmission. President Obama requested $1.9 billion from Congress in February to fund research a vaccine and drugs to treat Zika and conduct mosquito control programs.
Recommendations to reduce the impact of mosquitos and the Zika virus include weekly emptying or changing of water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels and potted plant trays.
World Health Organization (WHO) has lately suggested women to delay pregnancy who are living in areas where the Zika virus is active.
There have been at least 11 sexually transmitted cases of the virus in the USA, but all are linked to people who have visited one of the affected countries. All cases involve possible transmission of the virus from men to their sex partners. All men returning from places where local transmission of zika virus is known to occur are encouraged to adopt safer sexual practices or consider abstinence for at least four weeks after return.
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Zika has also been associated with other neurological disorders, including serious brain and spinal cord infections. “The virus stays in your blood stream and lasts for about a week, so that’s the time when you can get bit by another mosquito and that mosquito can transfer it to another person”.
