Travel-related cases of a mosquito-borne illness running rampant in
Latin America have reached Florida and Illinois, officials in those
states said Tuesday. Cases of Zika virus— which health officials in
Brazil believe is causing babies to be born with abnormally small heads—
have also been reported in
Hawaii and
Texas. All of the U.S. cases thus far have involved people who traveled to Latin America.
In Illinois, two pregnant women who traveled to the
affected area have contracted the virus, and doctors are reportedly
monitoring their health and pregnancies.
“There is virtually no risk to Illinois residents
since you cannot contract Zika virus from another person, but only
through the bite of an infected mosquito,” Illinois Department of Public
Health director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D., said in a news release. “But
since this is a time of year when people travel to warmer climates and
countries where Zika virus is found, we are urging residents, especially
pregnant women, to take preventive measures when traveling in affected
countries and check health travel advisories.”
The Florida Department of Health has confirmed three
Zika cases. Two of those people live in Miami-Dade County and traveled
to Colombia in December, and the third infected person lives in
Hillsborough County and traveled to Venezuela in December, according to
the Washington Post. None of the residents are pregnant women.
An individual can contract Zika when an infected mosquito bites them. There’s no vaccine nor antiviral treatment for the virus.
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