Gothamist reports today that a third person in New York City, a pregnant woman who was traveling abroad, has tested positive for the Zika virus. The virus has infected thousands in Latin America, and while illness related to the virus is generally limited to fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis, there does seem to be a link between the virus and microcephaly, a birth defect that causes babies to have abnormally small heads.
Health officials say a pregnant woman has tested positive for Zika in NYC. https://t.co/jdPEiU4tuF
— Gothamist (@Gothamist) January 28, 2016
Brazil has reported more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly since October, prompting the CDC to issue travel warnings for pregnant women in 24 countries and territories affected by the Zika outbreak.
Origin of Zika virus outbreak in Brazil may be linked to major sporting events: https://t.co/dgg1riPyXJ pic.twitter.com/somI6eTskX
— ABC News (@ABC) January 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/Swtladee/status/692827666924175360
The World Health Organization estimates that the Zika virus could spread to 4 million people in the Americas just this year.
Zika virus: Up to four million Zika cases predicted – https://t.co/9LYgokw1ue
— Alan Kasujja (@kasujja) January 28, 2016
Extremely disturbed by spread of Zika virus. I've written head of #NIAID to urge federal govt to take immediate action to develop vaccine.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) January 28, 2016
Top US researcher says Zika vaccine is years away https://t.co/Os6yEF2YaL
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) January 28, 2016
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has written to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases urging its director to “prioritize research into developing diagnostic tests, vaccines and therapeutic drugs to fight the continued spread of the Zika virus.”
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Following an emergency meeting of the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control issued tips to help Americans avoid the Zika virus. A large portion of the country isn’t worried about mosquito bites at the moment, but it’s likely the disease will keep spreading as warmer weather returns.
The best way to avoid #Zika is to prevent mosquito bites. https://t.co/vLIvBjqIPF pic.twitter.com/cPF4GfzMu7
— CDC (@CDCgov) January 25, 2016
Learn more about #ZikaVirus and what the United States is doing to address it → https://t.co/JEHZ96lITd
— Obama NSC- Archived (@NSC44) January 28, 2016
… and what the United States isn’t doing to address it.
@NSC44 @CDCgov what should we do?…your best advice is "prepare!"
bunch of "do nothings" @ CDC…just kill off the mosquitoes already— W.T (@ThaGroundskeepr) January 28, 2016
@NSC44 @CDCgov so what if the bats have to eat a different insect for a while
— W.T (@ThaGroundskeepr) January 28, 2016
.@thinkprogress kill mosquitos with ddt
— Phelim (@PhelimMcAleer) January 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/Daddy_Warpig/status/692784603673669633
Update:
WCCO reports that a 60-year-old woman has returned home to Minnesota from a trip to Honduras carrying the Zika virus. The CDC says there is no risk of the virus spreading within the state.
CDC: Zika virus confirmed in Minnesota. | https://t.co/aPSz1gxbLe pic.twitter.com/DKy0KNWTJB
— WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) January 27, 2016
The Sacramento Bee reports that a case has been reported in California this week.
Zika virus confirmed in California, but state’s climate likely to block spread https://t.co/ZGmjRt5JsB @SammyCaiola pic.twitter.com/98auTthDko
— The Sacramento Bee (@sacbee_news) January 28, 2016
And while People magazine isn’t usually a source of medical information, it’s reporting that two Illinois residents — pregnant women, unfortunately — have tested positive for the Zika virus after returning home from trips out of the country.
Pregnant women in Illinois test positive for Zika virus: What you need to know https://t.co/rPjjgsbcaT pic.twitter.com/bp4zErMQg8
— People (@people) January 20, 2016
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