niman

Patient B. In January 2016, a pregnant woman in her 30s underwent laboratory testing for Zika virus infection. She reported a history of travel to a Zika-affected area at approximately 11–12 weeks’ gestation. One day after returning from travel, she developed fever, eye pain, and myalgia. The next day, she developed a rash. Serologic testing confirmed recent Zika virus infection. At approximately 20 weeks’ gestation, she underwent a fetal ultrasound that suggested absence of the corpus callosum, ventriculomegaly, and brain atrophy; subsequent fetal magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated severe brain atrophy. Amniocentesis was performed, and Zika virus RNA was detected by RT-PCR testing. After discussion with her health care providers, the patient elected to terminate her pregnancy. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6508e1.htm?s_cid=mm6508e1_w

The pregnant woman was in her 30s and, like a growing number of patients at Richard Newman's practice in downtown Washington, worried about a threat the obstetrician himself had learned about only recently: Zika. In December, during her first trimester, she'd taken a vacation to Central America. Weeks later, U.S. officials began warning pregnant women about traveling to regions where the virus was spreading rapidly. She'd gotten a mosquito bite, followed by a rash, fever and joint pain -- all potential symptoms of infection. Newman recommended she see a specialist at Sibley Memorial Hospital and encouraged her to have her blood tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He'd already done the same for more than a dozen anxious patients in 2016, and each time the results were negative This time, the test came back positive. The outcome was different for the expectant mother at Newman's practice. Everything looked fine on the sonogram he'd ordered when she was 16 weeks along. But the image a month later showed distinct abnormalities with "very little brain development," Newman said. A fetal MRI confirmed severe brain atrophy, and analysis of the woman's amniotic fluid detected the presence of Zika. Newman told his patient that the results suggested her child, if carried to term, might not survive long and almost certainly would have "no chance for a normal quality of life." Last month, after the final tests results came in, the woman called and told him she planned to terminate the pregnancy. "I just listened and sympathized," he said. "I can only imagine how hard this was for her. ... It was one of the saddest moments of my medical career." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-zika-virus-pregnant-women-20160307-story.html

In the CDC MMWR on US citizens who were Zika confirmed after travel to a country where Zika was transmitting, one patient (case report B) who terminated her pregnancy after her fetus showed signs of microcephaly and was Zika positive, as was described. This description matches a Washington DC case who had been infected in Central America.

Patient B. In January 2016, a pregnant woman in her 30s underwent laboratory testing for Zika virus infection. She reported a history of travel to a Zika-affected area at approximately 11–12 weeks’ gestation. One day after returning from travel, she developed fever, eye pain, and myalgia. The next day, she developed a rash. Serologic testing confirmed recent Zika virus infection. At approximately 20 weeks’ gestation, she underwent a fetal ultrasound that suggested absence of the corpus callosum, ventriculomegaly, and brain atrophy; subsequent fetal magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated severe brain atrophy. Amniocentesis was performed, and Zika virus RNA was detected by RT-PCR testing. After discussion with her health care providers, the patient elected to terminate her pregnancy. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6508e1.htm?s_cid=mm6508e1_w

Map updated https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kT4qLMXp3SLU

Zika has pregnant women in the U.S. worried, and doctors have few answersThe Zika virus has been linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly, since it surfaced in Brazil about a year ago. Lena H. Sun and Brady DennisThe Washington Post The pregnant woman was in her 30s and, like a growing number of patients at Richard Newman's practice in downtown Washington, worried about a threat the obstetrician himself had learned about only recently: Zika. In December, during her first trimester, she'd taken a vacation to Central America. Weeks later, U.S. officials began warning pregnant women about traveling to regions where the virus was spreading rapidly. She'd gotten a mosquito bite, followed by a rash, fever and joint pain -- all potential symptoms of infection. Newman recommended she see a specialist at Sibley Memorial Hospital and encouraged her to have her blood tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He'd already done the same for more than a dozen anxious patients in 2016, and each time the results were negative. Being Pregnant Patient No. 1 for Zika in ChicagoThis time, the test came back positive. "We'll obviously have to watch you very closely," Newman told the woman, knowing he'd never encountered a case with such risks in his long career. Across the country, obstetricians and specialists in high-risk pregnancies are fielding similar concerns and more because of Zika. Patients are alarmed given recent trips to the countries with growing outbreaks in the Caribbean and Latin America. They want reassurance that they're not infected, that their babies will be safe from the potentially devastating birth defects associated with the virus. Some are even putting fertility treatments on hold. There's only so much their doctors can tell them since so much about Zika remains unknown. The virus is spread primarily through mosquitoes -- but sexual transmission is also possible and more common than once thought. Detecting an infection can be tricky because as many as 80 percent of people never show symptoms -- but one of the most serious may be a rare paralysis. Studies add more evidence of Zika's risk to pregnant womenYet pregnant women face the most devastating consequences because of the danger Zika seems to pose to a developing fetus. Many physicians say that they're struggling, often for the first time in their careers, to advise patients on what to do. Two studies released Friday could further rachet up the worries. Although scientists have yet to determine precisely how the virus is linked to microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and often have severe brain damage, a team of U.S. researchers has discovered how the virus selectively infects cells forming the brain's outer layer. Once it does, the cells are more likely to die and less likely to make new brain cells. And in Brazil, researchers tracking dozens of infected pregnant women found "grave" fetal complications and birth defects in nearly a third of cases. At a recent workshop held by the National Academy of Sciences, a leading obstetrician described the kinds of questions she and other doctors have been getting: If a pregnant woman becomes infected, how likely are birth defects for her baby? How do the risks differ by trimester? How often should ultrasounds be performed to look for abnormalities? Timeline: Zika virus outbreak"A lot of these questions are unanswerable right now," Newman said. "In most of the things I do, I have 35 years of experience. I've seen it all. I know what to expect, and I can give really good advice. The scariest part for us is that nobody has had any experience with this." In Florida, where the warm, humid climate is ideal for the mosquitoes that transmit the virus, anxiety among pregnant women has been palpable. The state already has declared a public health emergency in 11 counties because of Zika. "Because we are so far south, we seem to have more patients traveling to or from these countries than other places in the U.S.," said Loraine Endres, who works at a Fort Myers practice that counsels high-risk pregnant women. "Truthfully, this is one of the most difficult things we have had to deal with just because there's so much uncertainty." One of her patients, Nina Burt, was 13 weeks pregnant when she visited family in Brazil over Thanksgiving. She got a mosquito bite while there but never saw a rash or any of the other minor telltale symptoms. After the CDC broadened its testing recommendations to include pregnant women without any signs of infection, Burt quickly responded. She's won't know those test results for several more weeks. Zika virus in Illinois: 5 cases, all travel-relatedSo far, ultrasounds show that the baby is developing normally. The 38-year-old mother of two remains cautious but optimistic as her late-May due date approaches. "The unknown is kind of stressful, [but] it's in God's hands," Burt said. Laura Riley, director of labor and delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital, is relying on the CDC's guidance and her own knowledge of congenital viruses. But she still finds herself unable to counsel women as she'd like to do. About 50 patients in her practice may have been exposed during holiday travel in the Americas. Five have shown symptoms of the virus. "You can imagine, I'm sitting in a small room with a couple that wants answers," Riley said. Even if a Zika test comes back negative, she's not sure at what point it is "truly negative" so she can say with confidence that a patient is in the clear. Study finds first evidence that Zika may cause temporary paralysis"Pregnant women go to their doctors and hope their doctors can do a test and make it all better," Riley said. "This is one of those situations where you just don't have enough information to do that." The CDC is establishing a registry of pregnant women who may be at risk for Zika infections. Of nine pregnant Americans with confirmed infections, at least two recently chose to have abortions, two suffered miscarriages, and one gave birth to an infant with serious birth defects. Two others delivered healthy infants, and two are still pregnant. At MedStar Washington Hospital Center in the District, Jennifer Ballard has been following about a dozen patients potentially exposed to Zika during recent trips. Two did contract the virus and either gave birth or terminated the pregnancy, she said, declining to provide specifics. The rest are still awaiting test results. "It's really hard to be in a place to reassure your patients when you don't have information to feel reassured yourself," Ballard acknowledged. "We don't know if, just because we can't see microcephaly, that it doesn't mean there's not something else that could be a problem." First Chicago Zika case confirmedAmi Levy, 35, had vacationed in Argentina in late December. She and her husband spent time in Buenos Aires but also visited Igazu Falls, a popular tourist spot that straddles the Brazilian border. There, she got a bug bite on her arm, followed by a rash, and her eyes became red. The symptoms soon subsided, and she didn't think much more about them. "No one was talking about Zika. It wasn't on my radar," she said. Only later, after she returned home to Washington and discovered she was pregnant, did she began to fret. On Jan. 15, Levy flew to Puerto Rico for a long-planned trip with her sister and aunt. Her husband called a few hours later. The CDC had just issued an alert urging pregnant woman to consider postponing travel to 14 countries and territories -- including Puerto Rico. The couple agreed she should catch the next possible flight home. She did, but not before finding multiple mosquito bites on her leg. Concerned about the two possible exposures, Levy soon saw her doctor and sent a blood sample to the CDC. Two tense weeks passed. Finally, word arrived that she had tested negative. "I felt very lucky," said Levy, a psychotherapist. "We could breathe a little bit and get excited about the baby, about our family." CDC ships Zika test for pregnant women; Puerto Rico at riskThe outcome was different for the expectant mother at Newman's practice. Everything looked fine on the sonogram he'd ordered when she was 16 weeks along. But the image a month later showed distinct abnormalities with "very little brain development," Newman said. A fetal MRI confirmed severe brain atrophy, and analysis of the woman's amniotic fluid detected the presence of Zika. Newman told his patient that the results suggested her child, if carried to term, might not survive long and almost certainly would have "no chance for a normal quality of life." Last month, after the final tests results came in, the woman called and told him she planned to terminate the pregnancy. "I just listened and sympathized," he said. "I can only imagine how hard this was for her. ... It was one of the saddest moments of my medical career."

"Because we are so far south, we seem to have more patients traveling to or from these countries than other places in the U.S.," said Loraine Endres, who works at a Fort Myers practice that counsels high-risk pregnant women. "Truthfully, this is one of the most difficult things we have had to deal with just because there's so much uncertainty." One of her patients, Nina Burt, was 13 weeks pregnant when she visited family in Brazil over Thanksgiving. She got a mosquito bite while there but never saw a rash or any of the other minor telltale symptoms. After the CDC broadened its testing recommendations to include pregnant women without any signs of infection, Burt quickly responded. She's won't know those test results for several more weeks. So far, ultrasounds show that the baby is developing normally. The 38-year-old mother of two remains cautious but optimistic as her late-May due date approaches. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-zika-virus-pregnant-women-20160307-story.html

Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kT4qLMXp3SLU

March 7, 2016 SURGEON GENERAL DR. JOHN ARMSTRONG'S DAILY ZIKA UPDATE: TWO NEW CASES IN MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES Contact:Communications [email protected](850) 245-4111 Tallahassee, Fla.—In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware about the status of the Zika virus, State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong 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 two new cases today, with one in Miami-Dade County and one in Broward County. Of the travel-related cases confirmed in Florida, four 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, four 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 1 Brevard 1 Broward 7 Hillsborough 3 Lee 3 Miami-Dade 24 Orange 3 Osceola 1 Santa Rosa 1 Seminole 1 St. Johns 1 Cases involving pregnant women* 4 Total 50 *Counties of pregnant women will not be shared. Last week, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Centers for Disease Control fulfilled the request he made last week for more antibody tests for the Zika virus and provided an additional 500 tests. On Feb. 12, Governor Scott directed State Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong 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 919 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. State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong 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 State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong to issue a Declaration of Public Health Emergency for the counties of residents with travel-associated cases of Zika.The Declaration currently includes the 11 effected counties – Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, 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.Florida currently has the capacity to test 4,552 people for active Zika virus and 1,505 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 are examining a possible link between the virus and harm to unborn babies exposed during pregnancy.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.For more information on Zika virus, click here. About the Florida Department of Health The department 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/2016/03/030716-zika-update.html

Map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kT4qLMXp3SLU

County Number of Cases (all travel related) Alachua 1 Brevard 1 Broward 7 Hillsborough 3 Lee 3 Miami-Dade 24 Orange 3 Osceola 1 Santa Rosa 1 Seminole 1 St. Johns 1 Cases involving pregnant women* 4 Total 50 *Counties of pregnant women will not be shared.

Pennsylvania Blood Tests Submitted for Zika Testingas of March 7, 2016Information updated Mondays at 2 p.m.CDC Confirmed Cases: 6Pending Test Results: 211 http://www.health.pa.gov/My%20Health/Diseases%20and%20Conditions/U-Z/Pages/Zika.aspx#.VtGMwPkrKdv

Map updated https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kT4qLMXp3SLU

Pennsylvania Blood Tests Submitted for Zika Testing as of March 7, 2016 Information updated Mondays at 2 p.m.CDC Confirmed Cases: 6Pending Test Results: 211

Zika has pregnant women in the U.S. worried, and doctors have few answersThe Zika virus has been linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly, since it surfaced in Brazil about a year ago. Lena H. Sun and Brady DennisThe Washington Post The pregnant woman was in her 30s and, like a growing number of patients at Richard Newman's practice in downtown Washington, worried about a threat the obstetrician himself had learned about only recently: Zika. In December, during her first trimester, she'd taken a vacation to Central America. Weeks later, U.S. officials began warning pregnant women about traveling to regions where the virus was spreading rapidly. She'd gotten a mosquito bite, followed by a rash, fever and joint pain -- all potential symptoms of infection. Newman recommended she see a specialist at Sibley Memorial Hospital and encouraged her to have her blood tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He'd already done the same for more than a dozen anxious patients in 2016, and each time the results were negative. Being Pregnant Patient No. 1 for Zika in ChicagoThis time, the test came back positive. "We'll obviously have to watch you very closely," Newman told the woman, knowing he'd never encountered a case with such risks in his long career. Across the country, obstetricians and specialists in high-risk pregnancies are fielding similar concerns and more because of Zika. Patients are alarmed given recent trips to the countries with growing outbreaks in the Caribbean and Latin America. They want reassurance that they're not infected, that their babies will be safe from the potentially devastating birth defects associated with the virus. Some are even putting fertility treatments on hold. There's only so much their doctors can tell them since so much about Zika remains unknown. The virus is spread primarily through mosquitoes -- but sexual transmission is also possible and more common than once thought. Detecting an infection can be tricky because as many as 80 percent of people never show symptoms -- but one of the most serious may be a rare paralysis. Studies add more evidence of Zika's risk to pregnant womenYet pregnant women face the most devastating consequences because of the danger Zika seems to pose to a developing fetus. Many physicians say that they're struggling, often for the first time in their careers, to advise patients on what to do. Two studies released Friday could further rachet up the worries. Although scientists have yet to determine precisely how the virus is linked to microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and often have severe brain damage, a team of U.S. researchers has discovered how the virus selectively infects cells forming the brain's outer layer. Once it does, the cells are more likely to die and less likely to make new brain cells. And in Brazil, researchers tracking dozens of infected pregnant women found "grave" fetal complications and birth defects in nearly a third of cases. At a recent workshop held by the National Academy of Sciences, a leading obstetrician described the kinds of questions she and other doctors have been getting: If a pregnant woman becomes infected, how likely are birth defects for her baby? How do the risks differ by trimester? How often should ultrasounds be performed to look for abnormalities? Timeline: Zika virus outbreak"A lot of these questions are unanswerable right now," Newman said. "In most of the things I do, I have 35 years of experience. I've seen it all. I know what to expect, and I can give really good advice. The scariest part for us is that nobody has had any experience with this." In Florida, where the warm, humid climate is ideal for the mosquitoes that transmit the virus, anxiety among pregnant women has been palpable. The state already has declared a public health emergency in 11 counties because of Zika. "Because we are so far south, we seem to have more patients traveling to or from these countries than other places in the U.S.," said Loraine Endres, who works at a Fort Myers practice that counsels high-risk pregnant women. "Truthfully, this is one of the most difficult things we have had to deal with just because there's so much uncertainty." One of her patients, Nina Burt, was 13 weeks pregnant when she visited family in Brazil over Thanksgiving. She got a mosquito bite while there but never saw a rash or any of the other minor telltale symptoms. After the CDC broadened its testing recommendations to include pregnant women without any signs of infection, Burt quickly responded. She's won't know those test results for several more weeks. Zika virus in Illinois: 5 cases, all travel-relatedSo far, ultrasounds show that the baby is developing normally. The 38-year-old mother of two remains cautious but optimistic as her late-May due date approaches. "The unknown is kind of stressful, [but] it's in God's hands," Burt said. Laura Riley, director of labor and delivery at Massachusetts General Hospital, is relying on the CDC's guidance and her own knowledge of congenital viruses. But she still finds herself unable to counsel women as she'd like to do. About 50 patients in her practice may have been exposed during holiday travel in the Americas. Five have shown symptoms of the virus. "You can imagine, I'm sitting in a small room with a couple that wants answers," Riley said. Even if a Zika test comes back negative, she's not sure at what point it is "truly negative" so she can say with confidence that a patient is in the clear. Study finds first evidence that Zika may cause temporary paralysis"Pregnant women go to their doctors and hope their doctors can do a test and make it all better," Riley said. "This is one of those situations where you just don't have enough information to do that." The CDC is establishing a registry of pregnant women who may be at risk for Zika infections. Of nine pregnant Americans with confirmed infections, at least two recently chose to have abortions, two suffered miscarriages, and one gave birth to an infant with serious birth defects. Two others delivered healthy infants, and two are still pregnant. At MedStar Washington Hospital Center in the District, Jennifer Ballard has been following about a dozen patients potentially exposed to Zika during recent trips. Two did contract the virus and either gave birth or terminated the pregnancy, she said, declining to provide specifics. The rest are still awaiting test results. "It's really hard to be in a place to reassure your patients when you don't have information to feel reassured yourself," Ballard acknowledged. "We don't know if, just because we can't see microcephaly, that it doesn't mean there's not something else that could be a problem." First Chicago Zika case confirmedAmi Levy, 35, had vacationed in Argentina in late December. She and her husband spent time in Buenos Aires but also visited Igazu Falls, a popular tourist spot that straddles the Brazilian border. There, she got a bug bite on her arm, followed by a rash, and her eyes became red. The symptoms soon subsided, and she didn't think much more about them. "No one was talking about Zika. It wasn't on my radar," she said. Only later, after she returned home to Washington and discovered she was pregnant, did she began to fret. On Jan. 15, Levy flew to Puerto Rico for a long-planned trip with her sister and aunt. Her husband called a few hours later. The CDC had just issued an alert urging pregnant woman to consider postponing travel to 14 countries and territories -- including Puerto Rico. The couple agreed she should catch the next possible flight home. She did, but not before finding multiple mosquito bites on her leg. Concerned about the two possible exposures, Levy soon saw her doctor and sent a blood sample to the CDC. Two tense weeks passed. Finally, word arrived that she had tested negative. "I felt very lucky," said Levy, a psychotherapist. "We could breathe a little bit and get excited about the baby, about our family." CDC ships Zika test for pregnant women; Puerto Rico at riskThe outcome was different for the expectant mother at Newman's practice. Everything looked fine on the sonogram he'd ordered when she was 16 weeks along. But the image a month later showed distinct abnormalities with "very little brain development," Newman said. A fetal MRI confirmed severe brain atrophy, and analysis of the woman's amniotic fluid detected the presence of Zika. Newman told his patient that the results suggested her child, if carried to term, might not survive long and almost certainly would have "no chance for a normal quality of life." Last month, after the final tests results came in, the woman called and told him she planned to terminate the pregnancy. "I just listened and sympathized," he said. "I can only imagine how hard this was for her. ... It was one of the saddest moments of my medical career."

The pregnant woman was in her 30s and, like a growing number of patients at Richard Newman's practice in downtown Washington, worried about a threat the obstetrician himself had learned about only recently: Zika. In December, during her first trimester, she'd taken a vacation to Central America. Weeks later, U.S. officials began warning pregnant women about traveling to regions where the virus was spreading rapidly. She'd gotten a mosquito bite, followed by a rash, fever and joint pain -- all potential symptoms of infection. Newman recommended she see a specialist at Sibley Memorial Hospital and encouraged her to have her blood tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He'd already done the same for more than a dozen anxious patients in 2016, and each time the results were negative This time, the test came back positive. The outcome was different for the expectant mother at Newman's practice. Everything looked fine on the sonogram he'd ordered when she was 16 weeks along. But the image a month later showed distinct abnormalities with "very little brain development," Newman said. A fetal MRI confirmed severe brain atrophy, and analysis of the woman's amniotic fluid detected the presence of Zika. Newman told his patient that the results suggested her child, if carried to term, might not survive long and almost certainly would have "no chance for a normal quality of life." Last month, after the final tests results came in, the woman called and told him she planned to terminate the pregnancy. "I just listened and sympathized," he said. "I can only imagine how hard this was for her. ... It was one of the saddest moments of my medical career." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-zika-virus-pregnant-women-20160307-story.html

13 confirmed Zika infections in American SamoaUpdated at 11:07 am on 7 March 2016 Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Google Plus Share on Reddit Share on Linked In Share via emailThere are now 13 confirmed cases of Zika in American Samoa, of which five are pregnant women. Since the Zika outbreak first surfaced late last year the number of suspected cases stands at 279. An epidemiologist for the Department of Health Scott Anesi said the district with the highest number of suspected cases was Tuala-ata. Territory-wide efforts to stop the spread of the virus are concentrated on eradicating breeding places for mosquitoes. Villages targeted in a clean-up by government departments last week wereTafuna , Iliili and Nuuuli villages. Mr Anesi said the government was also looking at deploying prevention kits. "Now what's going to be in the kits is bed-nets or mosquito nets for day-napping as well as repellant, some clothing for protection and other items in there. So that is the next phase in our protection of the pregnant women out there." http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/298276/13-confirmed-zika-infections-in-american-samoa

Questions regarding Zika in the US

Zika Virus InformationAs of March 4, 2016 there are no confirmed cases of Zika virus in South Carolina.

Zika Virus – March 7, 2016 Texas has had 18 confirmed cases of Zika virus disease. 17 were in travelers who were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home. 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 – 2Fort Bend – 1Harris – 9Tarrant – 1Travis - 2

7 March 2016CHP notified of two additional imported cases of Zika Virus Infection in Mainland The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 7) received notification of two additional imported cases of Zika Virus Infection in the Mainland from the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to the affected areas. The cases involve a 47-year-old man and his 6-year-old daughter. They arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport from Venezuela on March 3 and were afebrile at the airport. They subsequently travelled to Enping, Jiangmen, Guangdong and developed fever and rash on March 5. They are now hospitalised for isolation and management and are in a stable condition. They did not pass through Hong Kong. To date, 12 imported cases of Zika Virus Infection have been notified in the Mainland. "Routine health surveillance on the body temperature of inbound travellers at all boundary control points is ongoing. Suspected cases will be referred to healthcare facilities for follow-up. However, at present, around 70 to 80 per cent of infected people are asymptomatic and most can recover fully. Therefore, we again urge those arriving from Zika-affected areas to apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival to reduce the risk of transmission," the spokesman for the DH said. The DH has been closely working with the travel industry and stakeholders, especially agents operating tours in Zika-affected areas and personnel receiving travellers in those areas (particularly pregnant women), to regularly update them on the latest disease information and health advice. As long as there is international travel, there is always a risk of the introduction of Zika virus to Hong Kong. As asymptomatic infection is very common and the potential vector, Aedes albopictus, is present locally, there is also risk of local spread if Zika is introduced to Hong Kong. The public should pay special attention to the countries and areas with reported autochthonous Zika virus transmission or locally acquired infection and those with indication of viral circulation earlier announced by the World Health Organization (WHO). The DH has been maintaining close liaison with the WHO as well as overseas, neighbouring and Mainland health authorities to closely monitor the latest developments of Zika. Locally, no human Zika cases have been reported to the CHP to date. To prevent Zika Virus Infection, in addition to general anti-mosquito measures, the DH drew the public's attention to the special notes below: A. Travelling abroad * If going to areas with ongoing Zika transmission (affected areas), travellers, especially those with immune disorders or severe chronic illnesses, should arrange consultation with a doctor at least six weeks before the trip, and take extra preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites;* Those arriving from affected areas should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival. If feeling unwell, e.g. having fever, they should seek medical advice as soon as possible, and provide travel details to a doctor; B. Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy * Pregnant women and those preparing for pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to affected areas. Those who must travel should seek medical advice from their doctor before the trip, adopt contraception if appropriate, strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip, and consult and reveal their travel history to their doctor if symptoms develop after the trip. Women preparing for pregnancy are advised to continue to adopt contraception for 28 days after returning from these areas; and C. Special notes for prevention of sexual transmission regarding potential adverse pregnancy outcomes * Pregnant women should not have sex with male partners who have travelled to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission, or else condoms should be used throughout the pregnancy;* Any male traveller returning from affected areas should:(i) abstain from sex with his pregnant partner, or else use condoms throughout the pregnancy; and(ii) use a condom for at least six months if his female partner may get pregnant. The public may visit the pages below for more disease information and health advice: * The CHP's Zika page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/43086.html);* The Zika page of the DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup_zika.html);* The Outbound Travel Alert page of the Security Bureau (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota); and* Anti-mosquito precautions for women (www.fhs.gov.hk/english/health_info/woman/30014.html). Ends/Monday, March 7, 2016 http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/116/43774.html

GUANGZHOU, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Southern China's Guangdong Province reported two new Zika cases on Monday, bringing the total number of imported infections on the Chinese mainland to 12. A 47-year-old father and his 6-year-old daughter tested positive for the Zika virus in Enping City, the provincial health and family planning commission said in a statement. The two returned from Venezuela on March 3 and developed symptoms of fever and skin rash on March 5. They then went to hospital and told doctors about their trip and were later confirmed to have contracted the virus. The two are being treated and are in stable condition. The commission said more cases are expected in the coming month as a large number of Chinese will return home from infected countries for the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency in early February amid a Zika outbreak in Central and South America. China has also been on alert as experts warn the warming weather may facilitate the spread of the mosquito-borne virus. China's central health authority has called for public venues, including bus stations, markets and residential communities to be thoroughly cleaned to eradicate the breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other bugs. Symptoms of Zika include fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, headache and muscle pain. It is also a suspected cause of microcephaly in new-born babies.

Zika confirmed cases in China increase to 12 with another Guangdong ex-Venezuela cluster http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-03/07/c_135164346.htm

Zika infection in pregnancy is linked to range of fetal abnormalities, data indicateBMJ 2016; 352 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i1362 (Published 07 March 2016)Cite this as: BMJ 2016;352:i1362 ArticleRelated contentMetricsResponses Susan MayorAuthor affiliationsInfection with Zika virus in pregnancy is associated with a range of fetal abnormalities, including fetal death and growth restriction in addition to neonatal microcephaly, shows a preliminary report on data from Brazil,1 announced at a World Health Organization report last week.2 Researchers tested blood and urine specimens in pregnant women who had developed a rash in the previous five days and who were cared for at centres in Rio de Janeiro. The researchers tested for Zika virus before following the women prospectively, collecting clinical and ultrasound scan data. A total of 88 women were enrolled in the study from September 2015 to February 2016. More than three quarters (72 of 88) of them tested positive for Zika virus in blood, urine, or both. The timing of infection ranged from five to 38 weeks of gestation. Fetal abnormalities were detected in 12 of 42 women testing positive for Zika virus who underwent Doppler ultrasonography (29%) but in none of the 16 women who tested negative. Death of the fetus occurred in two of the women infected with Zika, at 36 and 38 weeks of gestation. Other adverse events included in utero growth restriction with or without microcephaly (five fetuses) and ventricular calcifications or other central nervous system lesions (seven fetuses). Abnormal amniotic fluid content or cerebral, umbilical, or placental artery abnormalities were seen in seven fetuses. So far eight of the 42 women with Zika infection who underwent ultrasonography in pregnancy have delivered their babies, and the researchers said that the ultrasonographic findings were confirmed. FootnotesFor The BMJ’s latest articles on the Zika virus epidemic go to bmj.co/zika. References↵Brasil P, Pereira JP Jr, , Raja Gabaglia C, et al. Zika virus infection in pregnant women in Rio de Janeiro: preliminary report. N Engl J Med 2016;4. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1602412. .26943629. ↵Gulland A. Zika virus may be linked to several birth defects, expert warns.BMJ 2016;352:i1322.26940642.http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i1362