Should You Postpone Travel To Zika-Hit Countries and Other FAQs

Taylor said he was not aware of any pregnant women in Canada infected. Over 3500 cases of microcephaly have been reported in Brazil since last October.

Symptoms of Zika virus, which spreads to people through mosquito bites and is linked to severe birth defects, include fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, headache, muscle pain and eye pain.

Pregnant women need to be especially careful, babies of mothers infected with Zika virus could be born with abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development – called microcephaly.

Only 1 in 5 people show symptoms, the rest don’t even realise they have the virus because there are no symptoms.

The US researchers are working on two potential vaccines for the Zika virus, but warned that it will likely take years before these are ready for use, a senior US health officials said. South American health ministers may gather in Uruguay next week to discuss the problem as well. About 24 countries in the Americas have reported the Zika virus was within their borders, USA Today reported.

He said that based on inspections and the high number of dengue cases around the country suggest that the density of Aedes mosquitoes was still high.

“The appropriate surveillance/response mechanisms for Zika virus infection and birth-defect complications will soon be operational at the ministry”.

However, with the onset of spring and summer, the risk of Zika virus transmission in Europe will grow, as mosquitoes find better breeding grounds in warmer climates. It’s unknown if the people tested have the virus, and their results from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could be available by next week.

“In particular, we want to advise that pregnant women – [and] women who are considering becoming pregnant – consider delaying travel to affected countries until we understand more about this virus infection”, Bassett said.