Zika Update
On August 12, the Obama administration declared the Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico a public health emergency. At press time, the news media reported nearly 11,000 cases of the virus in Puerto Rico, including infections in more than 1,000 pregnant women.
Just the week before, public health officials issued a warning to pregnant women, advising them to avoid Miami, Fla.’s Wynwood neighborhood, where multiple infections have been diagnosed.
Nearly every state is reporting cases of the virus, and recent studies suggest that, in addition to mosquito bites, having sex with an infected partner is another potential way of spreading the disease. In general, Zika infections have no symptoms or are relatively mild but pose a significant risk to the fetus in an infected pregnant woman.
To protect yourself, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellent. At home, the CDC encourages you to use screens on your windows and doors and air conditioning in warm weather. Also eliminate standing water in your yard where mosquitoes could lay their eggs. For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/zika/.
