Maryland health officials said they are in close communication with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as Maryland hospitals and health care providers to watch for any possible cases of the virus.
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Brazilian authorities insist there will be no risk to athletes and spectators, except pregnant women, when the Rio Games take place in August. Researchers are examining a possible link between the virus and unborn babies exposed during pregnancy. Avoid standing pools or bowls of water on your property.
Primarily, that means protecting yourself against mosquito bites.
Check online “Fight the Bite” information.
“It is likely that there will be other cases of people who have traveled”, said Howard Haft, the deputy secretary for public health.
Zika has spread to more than 25 nations and territories in the Western Hemisphere.
“The vaccine is not a Brazilian concern, but global”, he said.
The Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947, and until a year ago was not thought to pose serious health risks.
“There will be a percentage that have Zika, and then in our summer when our mosquitoes are active, how many people will contract it?”
Officials said the disease is short-lived and lasts about seven days. Many people who have Zika will not experience symptoms.
There is now no cure or vaccine for Zika. However, the virus has been connected to microcephaly, a neurological disorder that results in babies being born with abnormally small heads.
The birth defect, called microcephaly, often also means the child’s brain isn’t developing properly.
“We are focusing on pregnant women and women in the reproductive age range who may become pregnant”, Dr. Miller said. To stay up-to-date on the CDC’s latest travel notices, visit: www.cdc.gov/travel.
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said they will be sending samples directly to the CDC for analysis.
“You will all recall that on the 8th of January 2016, I briefed the nation on the current outbreak of Lassa fever that started in December 2015 and which has now affected 20 states of the federation”. The symptoms, which are often lifelong, range from mild to severe.
In its advice, the Geneva-based World Health Organization said women in areas with the virus should protect themselves, especially during pregnancy, by covering up against mosquitoes and practicing safe sex through the use of condoms.
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Reducing the number of mosquitoes inside and outside your home by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets. He said just a couple of drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
