Press Release – Wyoming’s first case of travel-related Zika virus in a state resident has been confirmed, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH).
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University of Toronto professor of medicine and infectious disease expert Jay Keystone said he isn’t surprised to see more cases of Zika emerging, but the problem is much worse in countries dealing with mosquito-borne transmission of the virus, such as Brazil.
“The current spread of Zika virus poses a significant threat to public health in the Commonwealth relating to pregnant women and children born to pregnant women with Zika”, HHS said in a statement.
There is now no vaccine or cure for Zika, which has spread to more than 50 countries and territories since the outbreak began a year ago in Brazil. Officials say Hawaii has no locally acquired Zika cases.
Overall, Florida has 429 cases of Zika, more than any other state except NY.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning for pregnant women to avoid this area of Miami.
“It was a matter of time before we start seeing Zika cases in Canada and it’s a matter of time before a fetus was infected from the virus”, he said. Government health agencies have been fighting Zika in Florida, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere with money transferred from Ebola projects.
Most of the Zika cases in Florida have been transmitted by mosquitoes in a relatively small area north of downtown Miami, bound by Northwest Fifth Avenue to the west, Northwest/Northeast 38th Street to the north, USA 1 to the east and Northwest/Northeast 20th Street to the south. We will continue our campaign to guide Puerto Ricans on the steps needed to prevent becoming infected with Zika; especially to prevent the virus from affecting pregnant women.
The most important message, Drenzek said, is to protect pregnant women, who should be “well aware where Zika transmission is ongoing”.
The Obama administration in February requested $1.9 billion to fight Zika, but congressional lawmakers have been considering a much smaller sum.
The survey also found that 45 percent of respondents had “medium to high” levels of knowledge about Zika, and 82 percent knew about protective measures such as use of insect repellents, staying indoors with air conditioning, and having screened windows and doors. “We’re watching that area”, Chris Kumnick, a Public Health official, told the agency board.
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Puerto Rico Health Secretary Ana Rius said 90 people have been hospitalized because of Zika.
