Indiana health officials report 1st case of Zika virus

On February 2, the CDC confirmed the first case of sexually transmitted Zika in the latest outbreak.

However, the CDC notes that Zika is present in many places including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the US Virgin Islands, all popular spring break destinations.

“The Federal Government has recommended that until more is known about Zika virus, women who are pregnant (in any trimester) or those actively seeking to get pregnant should consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing”, it said. This alone is why Zika has been considered an worldwide problem.

The possible link is still not fully understood, but scientists in Brazil have noted a surge in microcephaly cases alongside a Zika outbreak.

About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika). Zika alone would never be a public health emergency of worldwide concern if not for its effects on pregnant women.

Cases of the Zika virus have now been identified in 30 countries.

Hong Kong’s Department of Health said in a statement that the man, who had travelled through the city on his return to China, worked in Dongguan, a bustling manufacturing city in the neighbouring southern province of Guangdong.

With vaccine available, the only protection against Zika is to avoid traveling to areas with an active infestation. CDC believes that there might just be a chance that the Zika Virus increases the possibility a rare neurological disorder. Mosquitoes that bite an infected person can spread it to future victims. She subsequently showed symptoms of Zika infection with extreme sensitivity to light. The disease is not deadly, with most victims suffering symptoms that last from several days to a week, and include fever, rash, joint and muscle pain, red eyes, and headache.

The woman was diagnosed yesterday and authorities said the illness was not acquired locally. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 35 cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed in the U.S. For at least one person, the virus was sexually transmitted. If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical care and advice. “What we know is the vast majority of spread is going to be from mosquitoes”, Frieden said. This can be done by using insect repellent; wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body as possible; using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows; and sleeping under mosquito nets. “A couple drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding location for mosquitoes”. “To protect against mosquito bites, Seabold advised people to wear long-sleeve shirts and to use insecticide”.

Three people in Suffolk County and one in Nassau has tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus that can cause birth defects, according to News 12. “Although it was discovered in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947 and is common in Africa and Asia”.