As of Friday, January 15, 2016, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued CDC Health Advisory in regards to Zika virus–which is spread to people through mosquito bites. According to the CDC, “the most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.”
However, pregnant women need to be especially careful to avoid Zika because, according to the CDC, during the current outbreak Zika virus infections “have been confirmed in several infants with microcephaly and in fetal losses in women infected during pregnancy.”
The CDC states that pregnant women traveling to countries in Africa, South and Central America, and the Caribbean including Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Venezuela “consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing;” and “if you must travel to one of these areas, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.”
To learn more about Zika virus–including symptoms, travel advisories, and steps for prevention–visit cdc.gov.
