The Massachusetts resident had traveled to Puerto Rico.
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The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has confirmed two additional Zika virus cases in the state.
In the U.S.V.I., where 24 people have tested positive for the virus – including two pregnant women – a majority of the cases are local transmissions, according to Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis, speaking to The Consortium by telephone this afternoon. Although Delaware faces a relatively low risk of mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus, Coons (D-Delaware) said inaction by federal lawmakers is putting the government at a disadvantage in preparing for the disease’s arrival in the country, particularly in southeastern states. Those who do have symptoms will most likely experience fever, rash, joint soreness and redness in the eyes.
Zika has been shown to cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects, which is why pregnant women are advised to avoid travel to any areas where the virus is spreading. For people who visit countries where the virus is circulating, the World Health Organization recommends couples to wait at least eight weeks before trying to conceive.
Beyond mosquitoes, the virus can be transmitted through unprotected sex and blood transfusions. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, most people infected by Zika don’t get sick, and those that do may not exhibit symptoms for as long as a week.
Zika virus infection has been linked to fetal malformations.
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Some infectious disease specialists argue that delaying pregnancies is the only safe way to avoid giving birth to babies with brain damage, since no vaccine for Zika now exists. The other is Aedes albopictus, which is better known as the Asian tiger mosquito and the most common mosquito in Kentucky. The disease also presents a risk for travelers who enter countries or locations where the risk of Zika infection is high.
