The man went to the doctor on day nine and was diagnosed with the Zika virus.
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“Fortunately, she’s not pregnant, but did travel to an area where there is ongoing Zika transmission, in Jamaica, and did have symptoms”.
For privacy reasons, health officials wouldn’t reveal where the infected man was traveling, but alluded to South America, calling it a Zika “hotzone”, and mentioned Puerto Rico and Brazil.
The kits will be available for free to pregnant women and can be obtained locally at health departments; federally qualified health centers; community health centers; Women, Infants and Children offices; and other nonprofit organizations that serve women who are low-income or homeless. He had not traveled outside the United States nor did he have other risk factors for Zika, such as having been bitten by a mosquito.
People who travel to an active Zika region and or have unprotected sex with a male partner that has recently traveled to one of these regions, are most at risk for contracting the virus.
As of July 6, 2016, the CDC has reported 2,526 cases in US and it’s territories. Both she and her partner recovered, Brooks says.
The cases detected so far include 34 pregnant women.
Between 1% to 13% of pregnant women infected with Zika virus give birth to babies with microcephaly, according to the CDC.
Zika virus has been linked to birth defects and neurological symptoms. Health officials encourage people to avoid mosquito bites and sexual contact with someone who has the virus.
The first case of female-to-male sexual transmission of the Zika virus has been confirmed in New York City.
The CDC now recommends wearing condoms or delaying sex when hooking up with someone who has been to an area with Zika. If they don’t have symptoms, they should take precautions for at least eight weeks.
“Our ultimate goal with this project is to establish a model of Zika virus infection that can be used for the evaluation of new vaccines and therapeutics in optional efficacy studies sponsored by NIAID”, said Jonathan Rayner, principal investigator on the project, in a statement.
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There have been 14 cases of sexual transmission of the virus, according to the CDC, although some experts think the actual number is higher. Scientists say the hotter it gets, the better the mosquito that carries Zika virus is at transmitting a variety of risky illnesses.
