The CDC is warning pregnant women against travel to affected areas, and health officials in several of the affected countries are telling women there to avoid becoming pregnant.
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“That fact that the virus was found with the capacity to cause infection is not proof that it can contaminate other people through those fluids”, said Myrna Bonaldo, one of the scientists who made the discovery.
“We are certainly monitoring the sexual transmission case out of Dallas, but, for now, the spotlight really should remain on the most common method of transmission: mosquito bites”, said Dr. Natalie Vanek, an infectious disease specialist at Legacy.
A public health emergency has been declared in Miami-Dade County after a case of Zika was detected here.
Public health officials in Dallas earlier this week reported the second known USA case of sexually transmitted Zika. It doesn’t recommend that men without symptoms be tested for the virus.
The Texas Department of State Health Services told KVUE’s Jenni Lee on Tuesday that it was preparing to test for the virus locally instead of sending samples to the CDC.
Sweeney says people do need to be concerned about those around them who have traveled to areas at high risk for Zika, including South America. But it has become a concern because of a possible link with a birth defect in Brazil. One person traveled to Venezuela, where Zika is spreading, and had sex with their partner.
“We just don’t know”.
The Ministry added that while mosquitoes from the same genus as those in South America do exist in Egypt, they do not carry the Zika virus and that the virus is not present in the country.
Only 20 percent of people who have the virus get symptoms.
For those traveling to areas infected with the Zika virus, Mickelson suggests wearing long sleeves and mosquito repellent to keep the insects away.
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Nebraska health care providers have received information on recognizing, managing and reporting Zika virus infections.
