Zika threat is one about which we should be concerned

While there are no confirmed cases of Zika virus in Pennsylvania, the state Health Department says it’s investigating 6 to 8 cases. The virus spreads through mosquito bites, with the most common symptoms being fever, rash and joint pain. Health officials suspect the infection causes a birth defect called microcephaly, in which a babies’ head is smaller than normal and the brain may not have developed properly.

Now there is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, but work is underway to get there.

Amid concerns over the rapid spread of the Zika virus, Jamaica confirmed Saturday the virus had spread to its shores, and Colombia reported more than 2,000 pregnant women have been infected.

Colombia has also said it had seen an increase in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder that can cause temporary paralysis, that has also been linked to zika.

“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”.

Laboratory testing for Zika virus infection is available at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, people in the continental United States can only contract Zika if they travel to an area with a Zika epidemic.

The World Health Organisation has said as many as 4 million people in the Americas may become infected.

Nigeria’s minister of health Isaac Adewole said the travel restriction, especially on pregnant women, will be on until the situation improves worldwide.

Almost half of Colombia’s Zika cases have been reported in the country’s Caribbean region, the bulletin said. “Everything that I’ve read so far has been that its contracted specifically through the mosquitoes so as long as my mom doesn’t bite me, I think that were ok”.

In advice issued on Friday, it also warned anyone who had travelled to an affected country to exercise caution on their return.