“Most of what we’ve learned is not reassuring”, said Dr. Anne Schuchat, the principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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The Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries the Zika virus is present in 30 states, more than twice what officials originally thought, Dr Schuchat said, though no locally acquired cases have been reported yet.
Researchers also have linked Zika to stillbirths, miscarriages, eye problems and other complications, with problems not only in the first trimester but throughout pregnancy.
President Barack Obama’s administration has asked legislators for $1.9bn to boost preparedness and response to Zika, a poorly understood virus that has been linked to severe brain damage in babies – but the request has stalled.
Meanwhile the government has used the money remaining from the Ebola virus fund which amounted to $589 million.
The Zika virus is “scarier” than first thought and its impact on the U.S. could be greater than predicted, public health officials have admitted.
Now, a new warning from U.S. health officials regarding the virus.
At this time, the county health department has no treatment plan for her because she is not showing any signs of the disease, Brown said, adding that the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta has not recommended any treatment for the woman at this time.
The continental US has 346 confirmed cases of Zika, according to a USA Today story citing the most recent CDC report.
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat the Zika disease, which is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week in humans.
Scientists increasingly believe the Zika virus sweeping through Latin America and the Caribbean causes devastating defects in fetal brains if women become infected during pregnancy.
Fauci said researchers are on track with their goal to begin a clinical trial for a vaccine in September. “We’re taking this very seriously”.The CDC’s update has Bay State doctors cautioning pregnant women and those who plan on conceiving in the near future against visiting countries where the virus is erupting, including Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
And the mosquitoes that carry the virus could travel to more U.S. states than previously thought, she said.
“We are quite concerned about Puerto Rico, where the virus is spreading throughout the island”, Schuchat said.
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“We also want people to know that travel to the area may lead to “silent” infections or infections with symptoms, and that following infections, it’s very important to take precautions during sex not to spread the virus”, Schuchat said.
