Pair of pregnant women contracted Zika virus while out of country

However, health officials are advising the public not to worry, as all of the USA cases so far were contracted overseas from mosquitos in countries affected by outbreaks. The virus is spread through mosquito bites and is not transmitted person-to-person. Infants with microcephaly have smaller than normal heads and their brains do not develop properly.

This virus is spread by mosquitoes in tropical parts of the world.

Tim O’Connor, spokesman for the Health Department in Palm Beach County, said Florida has some protection from viruses such as Zika because of the state’s robust mosquito-control programs. Hospitalization or deaths are rare, but authorities worldwide have raised concern about the virus’ effects on pregnant women.

The rise in the number of zika cases across Latin America follows an outbreak in the region in recent years of chikungunya, another mosquito-borne infection similar to zika that causes fever and joint pain.

In response to this link, the CDC issued interim guidelines for pregnant women during a Zika virus outbreak earlier this month.

He also announced extra funds to speed the development of a vaccine for Zika “in record time”.

There have been 26 travel-related cases of Zika virus in the United States since 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pregnant women traveling to areas where Zika is known to have been transmitted, the CDC suggests women wear long-sleeve shirts and long trousers, use insect repellents, and stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms.

This past week, Garcia-Navarro reported on one of the mothers who herself had Zika virus and whose baby was born with microcephaly. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito is common in warm climates, including Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, Central America, the Caribbean and the Southeast US. In addition, the CDC issued a travel alert for expectant mothers in the U.S.to avoid Latin American and Caribbean countries – including Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. What we do know is that there’s no medical intervention for this; there are no drugs to treat someone who becomes infected with the virus.