The CDC has advised pregnant women to postpone traveling to 30 countries and territories due to the Zika virus.
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Doctors believe the birth defect is linked to the Zika virus – and pregnant women are most at risk.
Canadian blood agencies earlier Wednesday announced that anyone who had travelled to a Zika-risk area will be ineligible to give blood for three weeks upon their return. Irish tour operators including American Holidays, Travelmood and Falcon are allowing pregnant customers concerned about travel to affected countries to change their bookings. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, the vector for Zika, is present in every region of Peru but the high Andes mountains.
The scientists were careful to clarify that there is no proof the virus can be transmitted through those fluids, but said people should take precautions, especially expecting mothers. Avoid sharing glasses, silverware, contact with someone who has symptoms of a possible infection.
Fiocruz made the discovery after analysing samples from two patients, Dr Paulo Gadelha, president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, as Fiocruz is formally known, told reporters in Rio de Janeiro.
It also issued new guidelines for both pregnant women and women of reproductive age who live in affected areas.
That followed a similar emergency declaration in the state of Florida. Testing of people who traveled to affected areas and have experienced symptoms is ongoing.
Rick Scott expanded the state of emergency to a fifth county today after the discovery of Zika virus cases there.
“Given the complexity of unanswered questions on Zika & (associated) disease, our goal is to encourage all researchers to share their data ASAP”, the World Health Organization said in a message posted to Twitter.
Because the symptoms of Zika virus infection are usually very mild, many people might not even realize they have been infected and typically recover without any issues.
There has been an increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly – underdeveloped brains – in Brazil and authorities are trying to determine if there is a connection.
But since October, Brazil has reported 404 confirmed cases of microcephaly – up from 147 in 2014 – plus 3,670 suspected cases.
So far, 404 cases have been confirmed in the country to be related to the virus, which has caused 76 infant deaths both during pregnancy and right after.
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They also carried out fieldwork to investigate the Guillain-Barre Syndrome – a rapid onset of muscle weakness caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system – and its relation with the Zika virus.
