Photo: Ricardo Mazalan/AP
Mosquitos carrying theZika viruscould infect Americans in the United States as soon as this summer, a public health official warns.
According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, all 544 Zika cases currently reported in the United States thus far have beentravel-associated– no locally acquired vector-borne cases have been recorded.
But that could change quickly as mosquito populations rise this summer.
There are 279 suspected pregnant women infected with the Zika virus in the United States – 157 cases are being monitored in the 50 states, including District of Columbia and 122 cases are in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico.
“CDC wants to make sure we are monitoring all women at risk for poor outcomes,” Dr. Denise J. Jamieson, a co-leader of the pregnancy and birth defects team at the CDC, told the news outlet.
Only a small percentage of the 279 women with Zika in the U.S. clearly became infected from sexual transmission, rather than from a mosquito bite.
A majority of the women are still pregnant, and fewer than a dozen have experienced congenital complications such asmicrocephaly, reportsThe New York Times.
Earlier this year, President Obama requested $1.9 billion in funding to fight the virus. Zika funding bills have since passed both the House and Senate, though neither matched the President’s desired request.
“This is something that is solvable. It is not something that we have to panic about, but it is something we have to take seriously. And if we make a modest investment on the front end, then this is going to be a problem that we don’t have to deal with on the back end,” Obama said after meeting with national health officials on Friday.
As the warm summer months approach, health officials say covering up and using bug spray are good ways to avoid mosquito bites.
The CDC suggests wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants and taking measures to control mosquitos outside your home. Insect repellent should include either DEET, picaridin, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil or para-menthane-diol. There are many EPA-approved sprays deemed safe for pregnant women.
For more information on how to stay away from mosquitos, clickhere.
source: people.com
