Danish hospital reports Zika virus discovered in tourist

She has since recovered, county public health officials said Tuesday. The White House said Obama urged them to accelerate research into diagnostic tests, vaccines and therapeutic drugs, and work to inform Americans about the Zika virus and ways to protect against infection.

It has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and some countries have advised women not to get pregnant as no treatment or vaccine is available to treat it. “Because it is not mosquito season in Virginia, this individual with Zika virus infection poses no risk to other Virginians”. Pregnant women with any questions should reach out to their physicians.

There are no global estimates for how many people in the world have been infected by the Zika virus, World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday. MOH is also raising awareness of Zika virus infection among the medical community so that doctors stay vigilant against possible suspect cases.

The Australian Olympic Committee has warned pregnant team members will need to carefully consider whether to go to the Rio Olympics due to a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil.

Health authorities from Denmark said the patient travelled to South and Central America where the disease has taken hold.

The WHO said women planning to travel to areas where Zika is circulating – including Latin America and the Caribbean – should consult healthcare providers before travelling and on return.

Mosquito-borne Zika virus has begun cropping up in the USA as Florida and IL, for the first time, have respectively recorded three and two cases of the disease which has caused birth defects in Latin America.

Pregnant women, who can transmit the virus during pregnancy or at the time of birth, are most at risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Zika virus was first discovered in a monkey in Uganda in 1947; its name comes from the Zika forest, where it was first discovered.

Norwegian Cruise Lines and rival Carnival Corp said they would allow expectant mothers covered by the CDC advisories to reschedule cruises to a later date or switch to an itinerary outside the affected countries.

The virus which has been linked to birth defects and possibly a nerve disorder could gradually spread in the United States in the warmer months, Reuters reported.

“In about 20-25 per cent of people, they know they have it, and it feels like a viral syndrome, like a flu”, said Dr. Brian Ward, a specialist on tropical diseases at the Montreal General Hospital. New York, Illinois, Florida and Hawaii have also reported cases.

Have there been cases in the U.S.?