While there are outbreaks of Zika virus in several other countries, the virus is not now found in the continental United States.
Advertisement
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Zika alert for Cuba, a day before President Barack Obama arrives on the Communist-ruled island, urging travellers to “practice enhanced precautions”.
A total of 5,000 testing kits for Zika virus have been given to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
The New York Times reported that Puerto Rico is expected to have an outbreak of the virus as well. “We want to be head of it. And we want to be taking aggressive action to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to combat the possible spread of Zika”, Cuomo said at a briefing at his Midtown office with Health Commissioner Howard Zucker.
Health officials say symptoms of the virus include fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), and headache.
According to Health Secretary Janette Garin there are no new cases of the Zika virus in the Philippines. While the symptoms of Zika typically pass within the space of a week, there have been recent concerns about the virus are due to a potential link between Zika and birth defects such as microcephaly.
Oklahoma City is one of 50 cities listed, with the city being at moderate risk for Zika activity during the summer.
The study authors note that even if Zika does spread to places beyond the southern US, it’s not likely that America will see situations like those in the Caribbean and Latin America since most Americans live and work in places that are sealed and have air conditioning.
Advertisement
Among those who tested positive for the virus is an infant who was born with severe microcephaly, a brain development disorder linked to Zika virus infection. About 165 of the cases involve pregnant women; 44 of these women have delivered without any complications or abnormalities. They sent the man’s blood to Colorado to be tested by the CDC. The mosquito-borne virus typically causes a mild illness, but is also now suspected in unusual birth defects and other health problems. Her department will be monitoring those traps frequently, she said. Most people who get the virus will never experience any symptoms.
