1 case of Zika virus confirmed in St. Johns County

According to the state Department of Health, there are 11 cases of Zika in NY: three in Suffolk County; one in Nassau County; one in Rockland County; one in Westchester County; one in Monroe County; and one in Orange County.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed that the Zika (ZEE’-kuh) virus is still mainly spread by mosquito bites.

According to the DOH website, the total number cases in the state are now at 14. “I understand that this is a stressful situation for women and families and particularly for women who are pregnant and what we are doing in our efforts is prioritizing all of the work we can do to protect pregnant women”, he said.

“Sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible, and is of particular concern during pregnancy”, the CDC said in a Friday press release. Pouilly said that safe abortion services should be provided to the full extent of the law. The scientists also said that there could be certain enzymes present in the saliva that would make it impossible for the virus to spread. “And we’re not surprised not to see cases of microcephaly in other countries because of the time frame between infection and delivery”.

Some pregnant women infected with the virus have given birth to babies with microcephaly, a disorder which leads to severe developmental issues and can be fatal.

The World Health Organization recognized the first local transmission of Zika in the Western Hemisphere in May 2015 and by January local transmission had been identified in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, told reporters Friday that the guidelines are focused on preventing transmission to pregnant women due to the unsafe birth defects associated with the virus.

So far, there have been no reports of sexual transmission of Zika virus from infected women to their sex partners, the CDC added. He said the territorial government also has frozen prices on condoms after two known cases of sexual transmission of the virus in Texas. Pregnant women should discuss their male partner’s potential exposures to mosquitoes and history of Zika-like illness (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/symptoms) with their health care provider; providers can consult CDC’s guidelines for evaluation and testing of pregnant women.

The CDC previously recommended pregnant women who have traveled to affected areas and displayed symptoms of Zika virus be tested within two weeks. For most people who catch the virus, it causes mild or no symptoms.

The mosquito-borne virus has spread to at least 29 countries.

Still, most worldwide experts are cautious about whether Zika can trigger Guillain-Barre, a rare syndrome that causes paralysis, because other infections and conditions can lead to the illness.

The CDC is now telling doctors to test the women for Zika between two and 12 weeks after they get back to the U.S., Frieden said.