CDC to issue travel warning about mosquito-borne virus, fearing birth defects

The infection was confirmed by a laboratory test conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ecuadoran officials had previously detected four people who arrived from other countries with the disease, which is spreading through Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Zika virus had never been known to cause birth defects or other illnesses until a year ago.

But in pregnant women, the virus can spread to the fetus and cause brain shrinkage – a rare condition called microcephaly that severely limits a child’s intellectual and physical development – or death. The U.S. alert, however, is cautious to state that the relationship between the neurological disorder and the Zika virus, transmitted by the mosquito that also transmits dengue fever, has not been definitely established.

Brazil’s Health Ministry says 3,530 babies have been born with microcephaly in the country since October.

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On Friday, U.S. health officials said pregnant women should consider postponing trips to 14 places: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela.

There have been no cases of anyone being infected with the Zika virus while in Hawaii; although, six people have become infected in other countries and then traveled to the state since 2014. WHAT IS ZIKA? Zikais the name of a virus discovered in a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947.

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.

The virus is usually a mild illness with fever, rash and joint pain. It applies to the entire countries “unless there is specific evidence the virus is not occurring somewhere”, Petersen said. Park said the case underscores the importance of the travel recommendations the CDC issued Friday for pregnant women and women who might become pregnant. The mosquitoes that transmit it – from the Aedes family – are found in a number of states, especially in the south. Florida and southeast Texas have been identified as areas that are especially vulnerable. But for now, avoiding areas with Zika outbreaks or taking steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitos if you must travel to infested areas are the only options.

In the United States, at least 26 have been diagnosed with the virus since 2007, all of which traveled or thought to have caught it overseas. There is no vaccine to prevent the disease. Why hasn’t a link between Zika and the birth defect been noted earlier?