Zika virus cases in Puerto Rico

The Arkansas Department of Health on Tuesday confirmed that a resident of that state who had also recently traveled out of the country tested positive for Zika.

There is concern that the mosquito borne Zika Virus in Brazil is linked to an increase in cases of babies born with microcephaly, a condition where the babies brain and skull do not develop properly. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it hard for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected. While Zika itself is not particularly risky to most people, there is growing evidence of a link between the virus in pregnant women and birth defects in their children.

No cases have been reported in Kansas, but Hunt said the state received a few calls from physicians who had questions about the virus or wanted more information about testing.

Health officials suggest wearing clothing that covers arms and legs and to use bug spray when traveling. “It would require an Aedes mosquito biting a Zika infected person and then biting others”.

Obama received a briefing in the White House from health and national security officials including Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Thomas Frieden.

Zika spreads through the same mosquitos that carry dengue and chikungunya. Pregnant women who must travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip. In itself the virus is usually relatively mild, with symptoms such as a skin rash and a feve.

According to the World Health Organization, the Zika virus is now affecting Haiti, Bolivia, Guyana, Barbados, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, French Guiana, Martinique, Panama, Honduras, Cape Verde, Venezuela, Mexico, Paraguay, Guatemala, El Salvador, Suriname, Brazil and Colombia. Colombian officials say they’ve recorded more than 13,500 suspected cases and President Juan Manuel Santos said there could be 600,000 cases by year’s end.

The defect results in abnormally small heads, developmental issues and sometimes death in newborns.