As much as I dislike scarring people and causing panic, I think this information is valuable enough to risk being labeled “Chicken Little.” No, the sky is not falling!
Pregnant women have been advised by the CDC to avoid travel to American tropical countries because of health risk to their baby by the Zika virus. Countries included are include Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
According to an article in the January 16, issue of the AAP News, “Zika virus primarily is spread by Aedes mosquitoes and typically produces mild illness. However, health authorities including the CDC and Pan American Health Organization are investigating a possible association between Zika virus in pregnant women in Brazil and the birth defect microcephaly in their babies. Since October 2015, Brazil has recorded more than 3,500 cases of microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is smaller than average.”
Even though the virus has been found in travelers returning from these countries, it has not spread to stateside contacts on their return. Now don’t panic, just avoid travel to these countries.
There are no antiviral treatments for Zika virus and no vaccine is available but, scientists are working to develop a vaccine. Symptoms can be treated with rest, fluids, antipyretics and analgesics but avoid aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the CDC.
