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Should Pennsylvanians be worried about Zika?

HARRISBURG, Pa. -With two confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the commonwealth should Pennsylvanians be worried? The Pennsylvania Department of Health announce...

HARRISBURG, Pa. -With two confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the commonwealth should Pennsylvanians be worried?

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the first confirmed cases of Zika virus in two women who recently traveled to countries affected by the ongoing outbreak of the disease.

“While we are concerned about the health of these individuals and any Pennsylvanian who may be exposed to Zika virus, we want to emphasize that these cases pose no threat to the public. The disease is transmitted through a mosquito bite, and we are not in season now," said Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy. “We will continue to provide updated Zika guidance to health care professionals across the commonwealth to ensure they are aware of the symptoms associated with the disease. We are staying in contact with the CDC on a daily basis. We are following the information as it becomes available, and we will be offering daily updates on our website."

"The very challenging parts of this is we don't know everything about this," said Pinnacle health Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. John Goldman. He said for the majority of people who contract it, the virus is much like the flu. "The Zika virus, if you are not pregnant, is a very minor illness," he said. But for those who are pregnant, the impact on an unborn child can be devastating. "Those infections have been associated with birth defects, very small heads in the fetus. As a result, we are telling women who are pregnant, women who are trying to conceive, they shouldn't go to Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and anywhere they might get this virus."

The current Zika outbreak began in May 2015 and is occurring in many countries. Zika is a generally mild illness that is spread primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito. In rare cases it has been known to also spread from mother to child, as well as through blood transfusion. Sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible, and men who have traveled to affected areas should take steps to prevent the spread of Zika virus through sexual contact.

Concern about the virus was elevated following reports of increased cases of a serious birth defect known as microcephaly that may be associated with Zika virus infection among pregnant women.

The majority of individuals infected with the Zika virus have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they are usually mild and last for between two and seven days and include:
• Fever
• Rash
• Muscle/joint pain
• Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
• Headache

No vaccine or medications are yet available to prevent or treat Zika virus. Symptoms are treated with plenty of rest, fluids and medicine to relieve fever and pain. Severe illness requiring hospitalization is uncommon, and deaths from Zika virus are rare.
Until more is known, the CDC recommends that all pregnant women consider postponing travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and must travel to these areas should first consult with their health care provider and take extra care to protect themselves from mosquito bites when traveling to an area known to have Zika.

The best way to prevent Zika is to protect against mosquito bites when traveling to an affected area by:
• Using an insect repellent containing DEET
• Wearing light-colored clothes that cover as much of the body as possible
• Using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows
• Sleeping under mosquito nets

If you develop symptoms within two weeks of visiting a Zika-affected country, contact your health care provider.

Visit http://www.health.pa.gov for more Zika virus to check for daily updates.

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