niman

EWSTRAFFICSPORTSABOUT USVIDEOJESSE JONESKIRO 7 APPSMORE First case of Zika virus reported in King CountyUpdated: May 4, 2016 - 11:04 AM Aedes aegypti mosquito file photo (James Gathany/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via AP)513The first case of the Zika virus has been reported in King County, health officials said. Officials said the King County resident does not pose a risk to the public. The types of mosquitoes that transmit Zika are not found in the Pacific Northwest, so local health officials do not expect the Zika virus to spread. The Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, or less commonly, through sexual contact with a recently infected man. What to know about the King County case: The illness was identified in a man in his 40s who had recently been in Colombia, where he was exposed. His case marks the third case of Zika in Washington state. KIRO 7 News will stream a news conference about his case at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Watch here. The second case reported was in a woman from Spokane. A pregnant Spokane woman was the second reported case of the Zika virus in the state, the Washington State Department of Health announced in February. The Spokane woman was pregnant at the time she showed symptoms of a Zika virus infection. She delivered her baby, and the child tested negative for the Zika virus. “Although we can be thankful that mom is symptom-free at this point, and that her baby appears unaffected at this time, this serves as a timely reminder for anyone considering traveling to countries where the virus is circulating to be aware of the risks, and for pregnant women to delay their travel if possible,” said Dr. Joel McCullough, Spokane Regional Health District interim health officer. The woman, in her 20s, visited an area where Zika transmission is rampant. Here's what to know about the first case: The first case of Zika in the state was confirmed in another traveler in Mason County. He recently traveled to the South Pacific before returning to Washington, Department of Health staff said. Here's what to know about Zika in the U.S.: The Zika virus has been found for years in parts of Asia and Africa. It migrated into the Western Hemisphere in May 2015, and the virus has now spread throughout tropical areas of Central and South America and many countries in the Caribbean. http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/first-case-of-zika-reported-in-king-county/258463910

Zika Confirmed Cases County Cases* Clallam1King 1Mason1Washington State Total 3* Confirmed travel-associated cases in WA as of 5/4/16 http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/ZikaVirus

Zika Confirmed Cases County Cases* Clallam1King 1Mason1Washington State Total 3* Confirmed travel-associated cases in WA as of 5/4/16

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

Zika Virus – May 4, 2016. Texas has had 32 confirmed cases of Zika virus disease. Of those, 31 were in travelers who were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home; one of those travelers was a pregnant woman. One case involved a Dallas County resident who had sexual contact with someone who acquired the Zika infection while traveling abroad. Case counts by county: Bexar – 3Dallas – 6Denton – 1Fort Bend – 2Grayson – 1Harris – 12Tarrant – 3Travis – 2Val Verde – 1 Wise – 1 http://www.texaszika.org/

Zika Virus – May 4, 2016. Texas has had 32 confirmed cases of Zika virus disease. Of those, 31 were in travelers who were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home; one of those travelers was a pregnant woman. One case involved a Dallas County resident who had sexual contact with someone who acquired the Zika infection while traveling abroad. Case counts by county: Bexar – 3Dallas – 6Denton – 1Fort Bend – 2Grayson – 1Harris – 12Tarrant – 3Travis – 2Val Verde – 1 Wise – 1

Latest Facts and Advisories as of 5/4/2016Reported cases of Zika in New York City: 62 Nine of the sixty-two cases were pregnant at the time of diagnosis;All cases contracted Zika while visiting other countries; andAll patients have recovered.

TABLE I. Provisional cases of selected* infrequently reported notifiable diseases (<1,000 cases reported during the preceding year), United States, week ending April 30, 2016 (WEEK 17)†http://wonder.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_2016.asp?mmwr_year=2016&mmwr_week=17&mmwr_table=1&request=Submit&mmwr_location= Disease Total cases reported for previous years Current weekCum 20165-year weekly average§20152014201320122011States reporting cases during current week (No.17) Anthrax-------1 Arboviral diseases ¶,**: Chikungunya virus ††-272849NNNNNNNN Eastern equine encephalitis virus---688154 Jamestown Canyon virus §§---8112223 La Crosse virus §§---55808578130 Powassan virus--07812716 St. Louis encephalitis virus--02310136 Western equine encephalitis virus-------- Botulism, total1424193161152168153 foodborne-41371542724 infant134213512713612397NYC (1 ) other(wound & unspecified)-402119121832 Brucellosis1243120929911479CA (1 ) Chancroid14012--158WA (1 ) Cholera--025141740 Cyclosporiasis **-82634388784123151 Diphtheria--0-1-1- Haemophilus influenzae, invasive disease (age <5 yrs) ¶¶: serotype b-712740313014 nontypeable serotype-63414212814111593 other serotype1421125266233263230MT (1 ) unknown serotype266418439343748FL (1 ), AR (1 ) Hansen's disease **11328588818282FL (1 ) Hantavirus Infections **: Hantavirus infection (non-HPS) ††---1NNNNNNNN Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)-511732213023 Hemolytic uremic syndrome, post-diarrheal **-394248250329274290 Hepatitis B, virus infection perinatal-7135474840NP Influenza-associated pediatric mortality **, ***458313014116052118DC (1 ), KY (3 ) Leptospirosis **-703638NNNNNN Listeriosis412911755769735727870MA (1 ), RI (1 ), NY (1 ), VA (1 ) Measles †††411718566718755220TN (4 ) Meningococcal disease, invasive §§§: serogroup ACWY-314104123142161257 serogroup B-223988999110159 other serogroup-402225172020 unknown serogroup2605146196298260323CT (1 ), CA (1 ) Novel influenza A virus infections ¶¶¶-10632131314 Plague--01310443 Poliomyelitis, paralytic-----1-- Polio virus infection, nonparalytic **-------- Psittacosis **-1078622 Q fever total **:-163149168170135134 acute-123128132137113110 chronic-402136332224 Rabies, human--011216 SARS CoV-------- Smallpox-------- Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome **3936300259224194168ME (1 ), NY (1 ), WY (1 ) Syphilis, congenital ****-836475458348322360 Toxic shock syndrome (staphylococcal) **-615559716578 Trichinellosis **-401114221815 Tularemia1153309180203149166MO (1 ) Typhoid fever-807367349338354390 Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus**336417421224813482NY (1 ), NYC (1 ), OH (1 ) Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus **---1--2- Viral hemorrhagic Fevers ††††: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever----NPNPNPNP Ebola hemorrhagic fever----4NPNPNP Guanarito hemorrhagic fever----NPNPNPNP Junin hemorrhagic fever----NPNPNPNP Lassa fever----1NPNPNP Lujo virus----NPNPNPNP Machupo hemorrhagic fever----NPNPNPNP Marburg fever----NPNPNPNP Sabia-associated hemorrhagic fever----NPNPNPNP Yellow fever-------- Zika ††,§§§§ Zika virus congenital infectionNANANANNNNNNNNNN Zika virus disease, non-congenital infection-4220NNNNNNNNNN

Zika virus disease, non-congenital infection-4220NNNNNNNNNN

May 4, 2016 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH DAILY ZIKA UPDATE: NO NEW CASES TODAY Contact:Communications OfficeNewsMedia@flhealth.gov(850) 245-4111 Tallahassee, Fla.—In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware about the status of the Zika virus, the Florida Department of Health will issue a Zika virus update each week day at 2 p.m. Updates will include a CDC-confirmed Zika case count by county and information to better keep Floridians prepared. There are no new cases today. Of the cases confirmed in Florida, two cases are still exhibiting symptoms. According to the CDC, symptoms associated with the Zika virus last between seven to 10 days. Based on CDC guidance, several pregnant women who have traveled to countries with local-transmission of Zika have received antibody testing, and of those, seven have tested positive for the Zika virus. The CDC recommends that a pregnant woman with a history of Zika virus and her provider should consider additional ultrasounds. It is recommended that women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant postpone travel to Zika affected areas. County Number of Cases (all travel related) Alachua 4 Brevard 2 Broward 15 Clay 1 Collier 1 Hillsborough 3 Lee 4 Martin 1 Miami-Dade 40 Orange 6 Osceola 4 Palm Beach 7 Pasco 1 Polk 3 Santa Rosa 1 Seminole 1 St. Johns 1 Cases involving pregnant women* 7 Total 102 *Counties of pregnant women will not be shared. On Feb. 12, Governor Scott directed the State Surgeon General to activate a Zika Virus Information Hotline for current Florida residents and visitors, as well as anyone planning on traveling to Florida in the near future. The hotline, managed by the Department of Health, has assisted 1,613 callers since it launched. The number for the Zika Virus Information Hotline is 1-855-622-6735. All cases are travel-associated. There have been no locally-acquired cases of Zika in Florida. For more information on the Zika virus, click here. The department urges Floridians to drain standing water weekly, no matter how seemingly small. A couple drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding location for mosquitoes. Residents and visitors also need to use repellents when enjoying the Florida outdoors. More Information on DOH action on Zika: On Feb. 3, Governor Scott directed the State Surgeon General to issue a Declaration of Public Health Emergency for the counties of residents with travel-associated cases of Zika.There have been 17 counties included in the declaration– Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Santa Rosa, Seminole and St. Johns – and will be updated as needed. DOH encourages Florida residents and visitors to protect themselves from all mosquito-borne illnesses by draining standing water; covering their skin with repellent and clothing; and covering windows with screens.DOH has a robust mosquito-borne illness surveillance system and is working with the CDC, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and local county mosquito control boards to ensure that the proper precautions are being taken to protect Florida residents and visitors.On April 6, Governor Rick Scott and Interim State Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip hosted a conference call with Florida Mosquito Control Districts to discuss ongoing preparations to fight the possible spread of the Zika virus in Florida. There were 74 attendees on the call.Florida currently has the capacity to test 6,526 people for active Zika virus and 1,253 for Zika antibodies.Federal Guidance on Zika: According to the CDC, Zika illness is generally mild with a rash, fever and joint pain. CDC researchers have concluded that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and other birth defects.The FDA released guidance regarding donor screening, deferral and product management to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmission of Zika virus. Additional information is available on the FDA website here.The CDC has put out guidance related to the sexual transmission of the Zika virus. This includes the CDC recommendation that if you have traveled to a country with local transmission of Zika you should abstain from unprotected sex.For more information on Zika virus, click here. About the Florida Department of Health The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov. http://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2016/05/050416-zika-update.html

MAY 3, 2016 5:32 PM Florida now ready to test mosquitoes for Zika virus The Associated Press LINKEDINGOOGLE+PINTERESTREDDITPRINTORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY TALLAHASSEE, FLA. The Florida Department of Agriculture will begin testing mosquitoes for the Zika virus. Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Tuesday that a department laboratory in Kissimmee is now equipped to test for the virus. The same laboratory is used to test for animal diseases. The department is working with mosquito control districts to distribute traps and train them on how to submit samples. Department spokeswoman Jennifer Meale said testing would begin within two weeks. Florida leads the nation with 102 confirmed cases of the disease. Zika has become epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean. The virus is mainly spread through mosquito bites and causes mild illness or no symptoms in most people. But it can cause a severe birth defect in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/health-care/article75398812.html#storylink=cpyhttp://www.bradenton.com/news/local/health-care/article75398812.html

Commissioner Adam H. Putnam Readies Laboratory for Zika Mosquito TestingMay 3, 2016 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory is now prepared to test mosquitoes for the Zika virus. The laboratory, which is run by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, routinely tests for myriad animal diseases; however, Commissioner Putnam's department recently equipped the laboratory with the tools necessary to test mosquitoes for the Zika virus and trained scientists for this specific testing. “Florida leads the nation in the number of travel-related cases of Zika, and our climate makes us a hotbed for mosquitoes. Protecting Floridians and visitors from Zika requires widespread coordination and engagement at every level. As we continue to support the Florida Department of Health and local mosquito control programs, we will make every weapon in the arsenal available in this fight,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. The department is currently working with mosquito control programs to disseminate traps and train on how to prepare and submit mosquito samples for testing. While the Florida Department of Health is the lead agency in this public health crisis, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is supporting efforts by: Regularly communicating with local mosquito control districts to discuss mosquito surveillance and control efforts;Providing technical assistance to mosquito control districts and the Department of Health regarding the CDC's arbovirus guidelines; andObtaining and disseminating traps specifically for the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and preparing the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory to be able to test mosquito pools for the Zika virus.For more information regarding Zika, visit the Florida Department of Health's website. http://www.freshfromflorida.com/News-Events/Press-Releases/2016-Press-Releases/Commissioner-Adam-H.-Putnam-Readies-Laboratory-for-Zika-Mosquito-Testing

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory is now prepared to test mosquitoes for the Zika virus. The laboratory, which is run by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, routinely tests for myriad animal diseases; however, Commissioner Putnam's department recently equipped the laboratory with the tools necessary to test mosquitoes for the Zika virus and trained scientists for this specific testing.

HEALTH ZIKA VIRUS OUTBREAK MAY 3 2016, 7:15 PM ETZika Virus Is Coming and We're Not Ready, U.S. Experts Sayby MAGGIE FOX and ERIKA EDWARDS SHARE Zika virus is going to start spreading in the U.S. and the country's not ready for it, experts said Tuesday. It probably won't spread much — most U.S. areas don't have the right conditions for widespread transmission of the virus — but even a little is too much, the officials said. New Map Finds 2 Billion People At Risk of Zika Virus eLife, Oxford University and the University of WashingtonAnd preparations are uneven, said Scott Weaver of the University of Texas Medical Branch. "One of the problems in the United States is that we have a patchwork of mosquito control programs that are generally run at the county level," Weaver said at a news conference at the end of a meeting of Zika experts at Emory University in Atlanta. "We have nothing at the national level other than advice from the CDC and most states do not even coordinate their programs at the county level very well so. Some very poor communities have virtually nothing available. Some wealthy counties have very sophisticated programs." Related: U.S. Isn't Ready for Zika Zika is spread mainly by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads yellow fever, dengue virus and chikungunya virus. There's a vaccine against yellow fever, but none against Zika, dengue or chikungunya and there have already been several small outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya in the southern U.S. Plus the virus spreads sexually, although mosquitoes spread it faster. "IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO PUT SIGNS IN THE AIRPORT."Hundreds of travelers have also brought Zika back with them from areas where it's spreading fast - central and South America, the Caribbean and parts of the South Pacific. Once mosquito season starts, the U.S. could have small, local outbreaks. "Very likely we will," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a separate briefing at the Pan American Health Organization's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Related: Zika Virus Birth Defects May be Tip of the Iceberg Zika can also be spread by Aedes albopictus mosquitoes - the Asian tiger mosquito that is becoming far more common in northern states. "In the U.S., the range of Aedes albopticus occupies more states than Aedes aegypti," Fauci said. But he doubts it will spread Zika much. Aedes aegypti has usually been the main spreader of Zika, he said. "I think that the risk of Zika virus beginning to circulate in the United States in the mainland — it's already in Puerto Rico of course — is going to be peaking during the next few weeks," Weaver said. "That's because the number of travelers coming into the U.S. with Zika is very high, the temperatures are permissive now for mosquito transmission and populations of mosquitos are growing. With rainy seasons coming on in central America and the Caribbean, that could even increase the number of imported cases more." Related: Should I Worry About Zika? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and their parent Department of Health and Human Services say they need money to help state and local governments prepare. They need money for better Zika tests, for research on treatments and to help develop a vaccine. "It's not just enough to put signs in the airport," said Emory University's Dr. Raymond Schinazi. They also need to study Zika, which causes often catastrophic birth defects as well as neurological problems such as the paralyzing Guillain-Barre syndrome. Zika killed a man in Puerto Rico last week. But the White House is in a battle with Congress over paying for all this. President Barack Obama has asked for $1.9 billion in emergency funding for the work. Republicans in Congress say they don't think that's the best way to do it and want more accountability for the money, perhaps through the regular appropriations process, which can be extremely slow. PlayFacebookTwitterGoogle PlusEmbed Zika birth defects may be 'tip of the iceberg', experts say0:25"This is absolutely essential," Fauci said. "We need the $1.9 billion." Fauci has said he is raiding other funds for now, but may have to cut back on spending to fight malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases if Congress doesn't approve the money soon. One bit of progress: a Zika vaccine could start being tested in people in September. "Unfortunately a lot of the scientists in united states are waiting for the floodgates to be opened with funding because a lot of the work that has been done so far has been done with a shoestring budget," Schinazi said. Much of the immediate effort should focus on getting rid of mosquitoes, the World Health Organization says. Brazil, where the epidemic is worst, had eliminated the Aedes mosquitoes in the middle of the last century. But it required heavy use of DDT to do it, and the effects on wildlife were devastating. DDT spraying is no longer done in the United States. Related: Baseball May Postpone Puerto Rico Series Due to Zika Fears And Weaver says current mosquito-control methods just don't work well against Aedes aegypti, which live very close to people. They tend to breed in homes and yards. "If you just spray an aerosol of insecticides up and down the streets, like we typically do in the U.S. or out of airplanes in some locations, those insecticides are not likely to penetrate into people's houses where the mosquitoes are resting," Weaver said. "WE NEED THE $1.9 BILLION.""So we have to use very different strategies. We have to first of all get people to remove standing water containers from their yard," Weaver added. "The best kind is to go inside people's houses and spray residual insecticides on the walls and their closets in dark places where mosquitoes like to rest, which is extremely labor intensive." Plus the CDC says the mosquitoes have developed resistance to some of the insecticides. "Aedes aegypti is a very difficult mosquito to control and eliminate. It will require a very aggressive and concerted effort," Fauci said. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/zika-virus-outbreak/zika-virus-coming-we-re-not-ready-u-s-experts-n567261

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

CDCStatesStatesStatesStatesStatesCDCStatesStatesStatesStates 20-Apr21-Apr22-Apr25-Apr26-Apr27-Apr27-Apr28-Apr29-Apr2-May2-MayAL23333323333AR22224424444AZ11111111111CA2934363636362937434343CO22222222222CT11222212223DE33333333333DC33333333333FL84919394949490949699102GA1313131313131313131313HI77777777777IL1213131313131213131616IN66666666666IA44444444555KS11111111111KY33333355555LA44444444444MD8999991112121212MA77777777777ME22222222222MI33333333333MN1313131313131414141414MO33444434444MS33333333333MT11111111111NC1010101010111011111111ND00000001111NE22222222222NH22233333333NJ88888899999NM11111111111NV24444424444NY607778787899779999104108OH1010101212121212121212OK44444444444OR61010101010610101010PA1515151616161616161717RI01111101111TN22222222222TX3032323232323032323232UT22222222222VA1011111111111213131313VT01111111111WA23333322222WV55556666666 388432439444447469426479488500508

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

Pregnant Connecticut Woman Contracts Zika Virus: DPHThe woman had gone to Central America.By Gabriella Iannetta APAedes aegypti mosquitos are bred for Zika related testing at the dengue lab run by the CDC in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Feb. 24, 2016. At a different lab on the island, CDC officials are breeding mosquitoes to determine if they are resistant to insecticides that Puerto Rico is using.A pregnant woman from Connecticut tested positive for the Zika virus after traveling to Central America, the Department of Public Health said. The child was conceived during the woman's trip, according to the DPH. While traveling, the woman became ill with a fever and rash, the department said. The woman is about 11 weeks pregnant, DPH Commissioner Raul Pino said. Global Health Officials Scramble to Fight Zika Virus The woman has since returned to Central America but the DPH had contacted her Connecticut physician in an effort to get in touch with the patient or her family to ensure she seeks medical care. “We are working with the patient’s physician to ensure that both the physician and the patient have all the necessary information and guidance they need,” said Pino. “This virus is very dangerous for the babies of pregnant women, causing serious birth defects and miscarriages." Pino said the woman, who is originally from Central America, left the state on Feb. 5 and returned on March 30. She had began developing symptoms on March 17, Pino said. He was not sure when she traveled back to Central America after that, he said in a press conference on Tuesday. Pino warns women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant avoid travel to Zika-stricken areas. He said while the virus itself is mild for adults, it could be quite severe for fetuses. "The more that we learn, the more grave it looks," Pino said at the press conference. Tuesday's results is the third positive test in Connecticut and first for a pregnant woman. Editor's Note: Officials from the Department of Public Health originally said the woman had gone to South America. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Pregnant-Connecticut-Woman-Contracts-Zika-Virus-DPH--377990531.html

DPH Laboratory Confirms First Positive Zika Test of a Pregnant CT Woman The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that a pregnant Connecticut woman has tested positive for Zika virus. According to DPH, the patient became ill with a fever and rash while travelling in Central America. It was during this trip that the patient conceived. The patient has since returned to Central America. DPH officials contacted the patient’s Connecticut physician today with the positive result and are working to get in touch with the patient or her family to ensure that she seeks medical care while she is out of the country. The DPH State Laboratory identified Zika specific antibodies in the patient’s blood, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the findings. This level of testing, approved for the State Laboratory by the CDC in April, allows the State Laboratory to test specimens from potentially infected patients who either did not become ill or were ill but tested more than a week after the onset of symptoms. Prior to this approval from the CDC, specimens were sent to the CDC for testing, with an average turnaround of one month or longer for test results. "The State continues to monitor Zika virus very closely — we have been preparing for months both to address positive cases and put measures in place to help prevent mosquito-related transmission of the virus here in Connecticut. As we've said, it wasn't a question of if we would see a case, but when. All of our relevant agencies have been preparing as much as possible with the expectation that we will see more cases this summer. If you have traveled one of the Zika affected areas and are concerned about symptoms, particularly if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, I encourage you to consult your doctor," Governor Malloy said. "We are working with the patient’s physician to ensure that both the physician and the patient have all the necessary information and guidance they need," said DPH Commissioner Raul Pino. "This virus is very dangerous for the babies of pregnant women, causing serious birth defects and miscarriages. It is extremely important for women who plan to become pregnant or who are pregnant to postpone travel to Zika affected areas. If travel cannot be avoided, women must take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites: wear insect repellant and long sleeves and pants, and stay in locations with window and door screens or air conditioning, if possible." Commissioner Pino also stressed that the male partners of women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant must also take precautions if they travel to Zika affected areas. In order to avoid sexual transmission of the virus to their partner, men who have travelled should follow these guidelines established by the CDC: Men diagnosed with Zika or who had symptoms of Zika should consider using condoms or not having sex for at least 6 months after symptoms begin.Men who have traveled to an area with Zika but did not develop symptoms of Zika should consider using condoms or not having sex for at least 8 weeks after their return.To date, 426 cases of travel-related Zika have been reported in the continental United States. Of those, 36 were pregnant women and eight were sexually transmitted. In Connecticut, 245 patients, including 217 pregnant women, have been tested for Zika virus to date. Today’s result is the third positive test in Connecticut and first for a pregnant woman. Content Last Modified on 5/3/2016 4:34:23 PM http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?Q=579918&A=4820

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ

Zika confirmed in pregnant Connecticut woman, contracted during tripFILE - In this file photo, samples of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, responsible for transmitting dengue and Zika, sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz Institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)By Register Staff POSTED: 05/03/16, 3:54 PM EDT | UPDATED: 14 SECS AGO 1 COMMENT HARTFORD >> A pregnant Connecticut woman who has traveled to South America has contracted the Zika virus, according to the state Department of Public Health. The woman has since returned to South America and the health department is trying to contact her. Her Connecticut doctor has been notified, the department said. The woman, who reported a rash and fever during her first trip to South America, conceived during the trip, the health department said. Zika, which is spread by certain species of mosquitoes, causes flu-like symptoms in people who are not pregnant. However, it has been confirmed to cause microcephaly in the fetuses of pregnant women. Microcephaly causes abnormally small heads and severely underdeveloped brains. nt This is the third case of Zika reported in a Connecticut resident but the first in a pregnant woman. In a statement, Gov. Dannel Malloy said, “The State continues to monitor Zika virus very closely — we have been preparing for months both to address positive cases and put measures in place to help prevent mosquito-related transmission of the virus here in Connecticut. As we’ve said, it wasn’t a question of if we would see a case, but when. All of our relevant agencies have been preparing as much as possible with the expectation that we will see more cases this summer.” Public Health Commissioner Raul Pino said in the statement, “We are working with the patient’s physician to ensure that both the physician and the patient have all the necessary information and guidance they need. … It is extremely important for women who plan to become pregnant or who are pregnant to postpone travel to Zika affected areas. If travel cannot be avoided, women must take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites: wear insect repellent and long sleeves and pants, and stay in locations with window and door screens or air conditioning, if possible.” The state laboratory identified Zika-specific antibodies in the most recent patient’s blood, and the findings were confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health department said. The state lab was approved to test for Zika in April. Pina said Zika can be spread by sexual transmission so men should take precautions as well when traveling to Zika-affected areas in the Caribbean and Latin America. To date, 426 cases of travel-related Zika have been reported in the continental United States, including 36 pregnant women, the health department said. In Connecticut, 245 patients, including 217 pregnant women, have been tested for Zika virus to date. There has been one death from Zika in Puerto Rico of a man in his 70s who had a rare immune reaction to the virus, according to the Washington Post.

A pregnant Connecticut woman who has traveled to South America has contracted the Zika virus, according to the state Department of Public Health. The woman has since returned to South America and the health department is trying to contact her. Her Connecticut doctor has been notified, the department said. The woman, who reported a rash and fever during her first trip to South America, conceived during the trip, the health department said. http://www.nhregister.com/health/20160503/zika-confirmed-in-pregnant-connecticut-woman-contracted-during-trip

Zika 'Very Likely' to Spread From Mosquitoes to Humans in US, Official SaysBy GILLIAN MOHNEYJULIE BARZILAY May 3, 2016, 4:15 PM ET Lynne Sladky/AP PhotoWATCH First Commercial Zika Virus Test Gets FDA Approval16SHARES EmailHealth officials stressed today that they are doing everything they can to minimize Zika outbreaks in the U.S. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health, said at a press conference today he thought it was "very likely" that Zika virus would spread from mosquitoes to humans in the U.S. in the future, but stressed that officials think the outbreaks will be constrained in the same manner as past domestic outbreaks of dengue fever and chikungunya. And while a recent USA Today article categorized control of the mosquito that spreads Zika as a “lost cause,” Fauci cautioned against that mentality. First US Zika Virus-Related Death Reported in Puerto Rico El Salvador Advises Women to Avoid Pregnancy for 2 Years Due to Zika Virus Outbreak Mosquito-Borne Zika Virus May Be Linked to Rise of Birth Defects, Puts Officials on Alert “Aedes aegypti is a very difficult mosquito to control and eliminate,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to have a significant impact on it -- but it will require a very aggressive, concerted effort.” The USA Today article pointed out that Aedes aegypti cannot be eliminated as effectively as some other species by traditional insecticide-spraying methods. But there are still other protective measures that the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the Pan American Health Organization can and will engage. These organizations are working to “raise public awareness, have cooperation at the community level to get people to eliminate and diminish standing water of any type, as well as to push and try and utilize environmentally friendly larvicides and insecticides,” Fauci said. There is also a trial underway that involves the use of genetically modified mosquitoes to help control Aedes aegypti reproduction, which is being overseen by the FDA. Fauci pointed out that Zika virus itself is usually mild -- but it is very dangerous for pregnant women and their fetuses, due to the risk that their babies will be born with a brain development defect known as microcephaly due to the virus. “The focus is on pregnant women and making sure they’re not exposed to the virus,” CDCspokesman Tom Skinner told ABC News. “We want them to avoid traveling to countries with Zika and make sure they know about prevention of mosquito bites.” Fauci also said that researchers are working on a Zika virus vaccine that will be given to humans in a study beginning in September, and that they would likely know if the vaccine is safe to use by the start of 2017 -- though it could take anywhere from one to three years. Speaking at the PAHO press briefing, Fauci stressed that the NIH and CDC need "$1.9 billion dollars because it's critical," referring to the money requested from Congress to combat Zika. "What I have had to do is move money, hopefully temporarily, from other areas I would have spent it [on]," said Fauci. "We need to get the Zika money to work with Zika, and we need to backfill the money to other" areas of research. Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, Zika incident manager for PAHO, estimated that about 500 million people in the Americas are at risk to be infected by the Zika virus. There have been no locally transmitted cases in the continental U.S. as of yet, but there have been over 400 travel-related cases. And there have been close to 700 cases in Puerto Rico, with 65 pregnant women having been infected. The mild nature of Zika virus for those who are not pregnant presents a challenge for officials trying to communicate its risk, Fauci noted. “How do you communicate the danger and the threat of a disease that is fundamentally and historically mild?” he said. Another unanswered question: Scientists do not yet know the risk of a Zika-infected pregnant woman giving birth to a baby with microcephaly. An ongoing study of pregnant women, largely in Brazil, will help to answer that question once enough data has been collected. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/zika-spread-insects-humans-us-official/story?id=38840982