Eyewitness News spoke to medical professionals in Rhode Island Friday, as the first case of Zika was confirmed in MA this week.
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Nearly 2,000 pregnant women now have the virus, Colombia’s National Health Institute said, out of the more than 20,000 people infected across Colombia.
The illness itself is generally mild, Taylor said.
The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes.
The Zika virus is spread to humans through a mosquito bite.
In Brazil, health officials have recommended that women refrain from becoming pregnant until 2018. “If you’re in an affected area, the way to prevent being infected is to avoid mosquitoes by using repellent and staying in air conditioned buildings”.
The disease is spread by the Aedes species of mosquito, a mosquito that used to be found only in tropical and subtropical areas but is now found on every continent except Antarctica. This week, Brazil reported that approximately 3,700 cases of microcephaly are being studied for signs of Zika. While no outbreaks have occurred in the US, 31 Americans have tested positive for the Zika infection, which they contracted while traveling overseas, USA Today reported. “The only thing we can do is fight the mosquito”, she told reporters during a visit to a command center for the Zika crisis.
The virus has been linked to a devastating birth defect called microcephaly in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly.
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Citing patient confidentiality, Arruda declined to provide more details about the individual other than to say that the person has recovered fully. US airlines is offering to refund tickets for pregnant woman travelling to regions of Latin America, including areas of Mexico where cases have been reported. Its symptoms include fever and joint pain that last about a week.
