Meanwhile, Brazil’s outbreak of Zika – which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns in 1,271 cases since October – has also killed 57 of those babies, authorities said.
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Four Connecticut residents have contracted Zika virus while traveling in Zika-affected areas overseas and state officials are urging residents, particularly those who are pregnant or might become pregnant, not to travel to infected areas.
A similar case was diagnosed in Slovenia, in a woman who became pregnant living in Brazil and who aborted the foetus.
“We think that about 500 million people in the Americas are at risk to be infected by the Zika virus”, Aldighieri added, reported Science Magazine. Several countries have also reported an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder that can lead to paralysis and death.
University of FloridaThe Zika virus that is spread through the bites of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is spreading throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean, inclulding Puerto Rico. Most adults report either mild or no symptoms from Zika, but it could just be that they didn’t notice.
A fourth patient in CT has tested positive for the Zika virus, according to the Department of Public Health. “And use an EPA-registered insect repellent, which has been proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breast feeding women”.
Etienne said researchers at her organization were working on developing an agenda to help countries research the problem and come up with a test that could distinguish between dengue and Zika.
As of May 4, there were 472 cases of Zika in the United States, none of which were acquired via local mosquitoes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to the 57 cases of confirmed microcephaly deaths, insufficient development of the skull and brain of fetuses, the ministry has identified 178 cases of children of whose dead is suspected to be the microcephaly. But the virus can be spread through sexual intercourse, too, and it lasts longer in semen than in blood.
“This instrument will detect if the Zika virus is there”, Thomas said.
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