American Women Got Zika Virus Abroad and Miscarried, Health Officials Say

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has issued new warnings about the Zika virus. As such, the arrival of travelers makes it likely that Maryland will see confirmed cases of infection.

The small, black-and-white-striped insect responsible for spreading a disease that health officials fear has caused neurological birth defects in newborns across Brazil and in other countries is a familiar foe of Southern California residents.

Despite a recent spike in Zika cases, Hennessy has said there is “no risk” to the general public, as Zika is not able to be transferred from person to person.

Meanwhile, in Australia, a second pregnant woman has been diagnosed with Zika virus, authorities said Friday.

The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.

At an information session in Morristown Wednesday health officials presented the county board of Freeholders with facts about the mosquito-carried Zika Virus.

The unidentified patient who has the mosquito-borne virus had traveled to a country where Zika transmission has been active, the health department said.

According to the Associated Press, China confirmed the first Zika virus infection in a man who traveled to Venezuela.

The mosquitoes that can carry the virus are not typically found in Maryland. There is now no vaccine to prevent Zika or medicine to treat it.

Rio organizers and International Olympic Committee officials have tried to downplay the threat, saying only women who are pregnant are at high risk of complications.

“If they’re seriously ill, we would check it”, Irwin said.

Earlier this week a pregnant woman became the third confirmed case in Queensland in 2016. Two other patients a year ago also died from complications while they were infected with the virus. Rare cases of transmission through sexual contact and blood transfusions were also reported by health officials.

A World Health Organization expert says scientists will probably need “a few more weeks” to establish if there is a definite link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barre Syndrome but said the link was “highly probable”.