After an emergency meeting by the World Health Organisation (WHO), headed by its Director-General Margaret Chan in Geneva, Switzerland, the organisation has declared an worldwide public health emergency over the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
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Here, the Health Service Executive has said two unrelated cases of Zika confirmed this week involved a man and a woman who had travelled to a Zika-affected country in the first four to five months.
“There are many things we don’t know about Zika”, he said.
The governor of Florida put the emergency into effect in four counties, including Miami-Dade.
Concerns over the Zika virus grew on Wednesday after more cases were reported in parts of Florida.
The virus has been linked to several thousands of cases of a serious birth defect called microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with small heads.
As the virus spreads, Brazilian health authorities confirmed Zika has been transmitted through a blood transfusion from a donor who had been infected with the virus.
Health agencies are watching nine possible Zika virus cases in Alabama, but none of those possible infections are in the Mobile area, a health official told FOX10 News Thursday afternoon.
The CDC has also issued a travel alert for pregnant women to postpone travel to 29 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America.
The infection often occurs without symptoms but it can cause a mild illness which can include fever, headache, rash, joint and muscle pain, and conjunctivitis.
Only one case in the country has been transferred by sexual intercourse.
Health officials have advised women who are pregnant or who might decide to become pregnant to avoid travel to areas affected by Zika virus.
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook has been reporting from Brazil, the epicenter of the outbreak, and says the Florida declaration is an attempt to get ahead of the virus. If they do, they should consult with their doctor first. If that happens, they may want to reconsider their plans.
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On Tuesday, the American Red Cross urged prospective donors who have visited Zika outbreak zones to wait at least 28 days before giving blood, but said the risk of transmitting the virus through blood donations was “extremely” low in the continental United States.
