5 Things To Know About The Zika Virus Scary Mosquito
Zika Virus is a disease that can be very harmful to the pregnant ladies, most of these cases are confirmed outside of the U.S. by the CDC, which means Americans don’t need to worry about the Zika Virus. Here’s what we need to know about the mosquito-born illness. Zika Virus is one of the viruse that is transmitted via mosquitos. In fact, it is called the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Now the virus is mostly effecting the lives of small babies and has been linked to the brain damage in thousands of babies in Brazil and three states in America. Two pregnant women who have contracted the virus in lllinois and Florida and other cases are starting to to pop up. The people who are infected mostly suffer from mild symptoms. For pregnant women, the virus is very serious. Here, we discuss the top 5 things to know about the virus.
1. What is Zika Virus?
According to CNN, Zika Virus is a virus which belongs to the families of the deadly yellow fever virus, West Nile, chikungunya, and dengue. Due to the connection between the virus and microcephaly, it results in the babies being born with abnormally small heads, which is a neurological disorder. It causes severe developmental issues in babies and sometimes it may cause death. Currently, the Zika Virus is transmitted in places like Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa and Venezuela, according to the CDC.
2. Symptoms of Zika Virus
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the people infected with the virus will have symptoms that are mild, including fever, headache, rash, and possible pink eye. In fact, about 80% of people who are infected with this virus don’t know that they have it. Mostly, the virus is a serious concern for pregnant women, since it has been now shown to pass through the amniotic fluid to the growing baby. So this can cause a dangerous side effect in the growth and brain development in baby.
3. Precautions for Pregnant Women
Pregnant women should postpone the traveling places where the Zika Virus is currently concentrated, according to the CDC. If a pregnant woman must travel these places , they should consult with a health professional at that time and follow the recommendations to avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and staying in air conditioning.
4. Is There Any Cure or Vaccine?
As of now there is no vaccine nor medicine or treatment to prevent the infection of the Zika Virus.
5. Should Americans be worried because of this Virus?
According to Time Magazine, a case in Puerto Rico was confirmed in December. That patient had not recently traveled. People may be worried because it can difficult to avoid exposure to mosquitoes. The other scary fact is that the Zika Virus has been also found in breast milk, but it has not been confirmed that it passes to the baby during nursing.
