Colombia, Venezuela look for Zika links to Guillain-Barre

The Metropolitan Health District tested six people in Bexar County for Zika virus, the mosquito-borne illness that’s plagued Central and South America, and can cause birth defects in newborn babies.

Only one of the four cases is likely to develop symptoms, such as low-grade fever, joint pain, red eyes, rash, muscle pain, physical weakness, lethargy and headaches, which may last from two to seven days.

The Zika virus has been linked to cases of microcephaly, or abnormally small heads in newborns.

Taylor says there is little to no risk of contracting the virus in Canada since mosquitoes that transmit the virus are not adaptable to the climate.

“There is some evidence that mother-to-child transmission may occur, there have been a few reports identifying the possibility of transmission of Zika virus through transfusion of infected blood or possible sexual transmission of Zika virus”. It is aggressively moving into the Americas and many experts believe it is only a matter of time before it reaches the United States.

The virus was initially found in an African rhesus monkey who had been tagged and stationed in the Zika Forest near Entebbe in 1952, the word Zika meaning “overgrown” in the local Luganda language.

The PAHO said there is no evidence that Zika can cause death but some cases have been reported with more serious complications in patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

The best advice is for pregnant women to avoid affected areas and to protect themselves with clothing, insect repellents and screens.

The Zika virus, which was first reported in Brazil in 2014, is a mosquito-transmitted infection related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile virus, according to WHO.

She says the cleanup operation began Friday at all installations run by the armed forces and at all federal educational, health and other facilities.

Brazil is seeing a wave of such birth defects. “Pregnant women, as well as women who wish to become pregnant and who are planning to travel to areas where the virus is circulating, should discuss their plans with a health professional”.

Cambodia’s only Zika case recovered in 2010 after treatment.