Suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil rise to 3893

In reporting the laboratory confirmation from the CDC, the Hawaii health department said the child’s mother probably had a Zika infection while living in Brazil during the spring. These people had all recently returned from travels overseas, including Latin America, where the Zika virus is now exploding in Brazil.

The Florida Department of Health has confirmed a case of Zika Virus in Hillsborough County and two in Miami-Dade County. However, the illness has been spreading in different Caribbean countries such as Barbados and Haiti, as well as South American countries such as Brazil.

The ministry’s emergency response official, Wanderson Oliveira, said at a news conference in Brasilia on Wednesday that the reported cases are being investigated to determine whether they are really cases of microcephaly.

In addition to advising doctors to ask all pregnant women about their recent travel history, women who have traveled to any of the areas are advised to be tested for the virus.

In Bolivia, the authorities have reported the first case of a pregnant woman diagnosed with Zika.

Symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes (conjunctivitis). Symptoms can last from two days to a week.

“Pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing”. WMFE is a partner with Health News Florida, which receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

There is not now any vaccine against Zika, but the CDC recommends wearing mosquito repellant and sleeping under a mosquito net to avoid being bitten by the mosquitoes that carry the virus.

There have also been cases in Cabo Verde in Africa and in Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia and sporadic imported cases in Europe, Canada and the United States from Central and South America.

Although most people experience flu-like symptoms, the virus can cause more serious problems for expectant mothers.

The Aedes mosquito is most likely to spread the virus, and is found in tropical climates including Florida.

Some 560 pregnant women are among those infected, the minister said, though so far no cases of newborns suffering from microcephaly, a congenital defect caused by Zika, have been registered in the country.

“We’ve been under a mosquito advisory since the beginning of the summer and we’re still under that advisory”.

By the end of previous year, cases of the virus had been confirmed in roughly one out of six Colombian municipalities located less than 2,200 meters (7,220 feet) above sea level.