Zika virus pregnancy case confirmed in Spain – first in Europe

The World Health Organization has declared the spike in serious birth defects an worldwide emergency and launched a global Zika response unit.

“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.

“When you find a virus or fingerprints of a virus in a body secretion, it absolutely does not mean that it is transmitted that way”, Fauci said. “It varies from airline to airline… but we are considering whether or not all flights from areas that have the Zika virus should be sprayed”.

Both had travelled to a country affected by the virus and both have now fully recovered.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain and pinkeye.

“Today diseases cross borders readily because we cross borders and bring them with us”, said Solla. Thompson said he does not believe there are any mosquitoes locally that have the virus, which is transferred from humans to the insects.

In the face of the recent increase in cases, the presidents of the United States and Brazil have agreed on the importance of collaborative efforts to combat the spread of the Zika virus.

Zika cases have also been confirmed in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, including one sexually transmitted case of the virus. Over 30 cases have been reported in the USA, but until now those were from people who had traveled and were infected with the virus in other places.

Or, put more bluntly: “People need to wear condoms”.

The warning comes because health officials are concerned about a strong link between Zika virus infection during pregnancy and a birth defect called microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and face lifelong cognitive impairments. Infections have also been linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralytic nervous system disorder, in adults.

Spain confirmed Thursday that a pregnant woman was diagnosed with the Zika virus, the first known case in Europe. The CDC said there have been 50 such cases so far.

Frieden emphasized that the primary way Zika spreads is by mosquito bites.