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Second Zika Case In Quebec ex-Brazil http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/zika-virus-quebec-second-case-1.3428731

Student at College of William & Mary has contracted the Zika virus Resize Text Print Article Comments 0 Book mark article Read later list Saved to Reading List An Aedes aegypti mosquito is seen on human hand in a laboratory of the International Training and Medical Research Training Center (CIDEIM) in Cali, Colombia. (Jaime Saldarriaga/Reuters)By Dana Hedgpeth February 1 at 8:06 AM A student at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., has contracted the Zika virus, but appears to pose no health risk, according to school officials. The student was traveling in Central America during the college’s winter break, officials said in an online statement. The Zika virus, carried by mosquitos, is now in two dozen countries and territories across the Americas. Brazil has been reported as the epicenter, and some health experts believe it could cause an abnormally small head and brain in babies born to mothers who contracted Zika while pregnant. [Why the United State is so vulnerable to the alarming spread of Zika virus] Symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and other ailments similar to the flu. The statement added that college’s health team and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) believed there is “believed to be no health risk to anyone on campus.” The college gave no further details on the student. “It is our understanding that, thankfully, the student is expected to recover fully and is not currently experiencing symptoms,” the college said. The World Health Organization has said it will hold an emergency meeting to try to find ways to stop the spread of the virus. It is expected that the virus, which is spreading rapidly, could infect up to 4 million people in 12 months. Dana Hedgpeth is a Post reporter, working the early morning, reporting on traffic, crime and other local issues.https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/student-at-college-of-william-and-mary-has-contracted-the-zika-virus/2016/02/01/de04f0c0-c8de-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html?tid=sm_tw

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HEALTH & FITNESSNEW YORK STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER LEADING WEBINAR TO DISCUSS ZIKA VIRUS Eyewitness NewsUpdated 38 mins agoNEW YORK (WABC) --Health officials around New York State will discuss strategies for preventing the spread of the Zika virus. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker will lead a webinar Monday afternoon after the number of cases statewide increased to nine. Five are in New York City, including one woman who is pregnant. Zucker said officials will discuss how they're reducing the risk of the virus spreading further. The mosquito-borne virus has been identified in nine New Yorkers who recently returned from countries where the virus is actively being transmitted. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued travel warnings for pregnant women in countries mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean. The virus has been linked with microcephaly, which can leave affected newborns with unusually small heads and abnormal brain development. State health officials say they'll closely monitor mosquitoes when the weather warms. The World Health Organization will also hold an emergency meeting Monday to find ways to battle the Zika virus, which is said to be "spreading explosively" through the Americas. The WHO could classify the Zika outbreak now in 25 countries and territories as a "public health emergency of international concern," deserving of a coordinated global response. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) http://abc7ny.com/health/zika-virus-subject-of-webinar-monday-for-new-york-health-officials/1181723/

Jamaica Reports 4-Year-Old Boy First Zika Virus Victim0 comments By Staff Reporter [email protected] 01, 2016 06:12 AM ESTTags Zika virus, Portmore, Santa Catalina, Jamaica, the Ministry of Transport and Works, Jamaica Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Aedes aegypti mosquitos are seen in containers at a lab of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the Sao Paulo University, on January 8, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Researchers at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal are in Brazil to train local researchers to combat the Zika virus epidemic. (Photo : NELSON ALMEIDA / Staff/Getty Images) The first case of Zika virus infection in Jamaica was reported after a 4-year-old child from Portmore, Santa Catalina tested positive on Jan. 29. The boy showed some symptoms back in Jan. 17 after a visit in Texas, according to a statement released by the country's Ministry of Health. Send us a photo or videoSuggest a correction "It's unclear whether the child picked up the virus in Jamaica or Texas. The ministry said it is investigating the case to determine the source of the infection," according to a USA Today report. "The virus has been associated with a sharp jump in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads, mainly in Brazil. It is also linked to increases in Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis," the report also added. The Jamaican health authorities have stepped up their campaign against the Zika virus transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. They also warned pregnant women in the country and advised them to take extra precautionary measures to prevent mosquito bites. The country's health ministry is already alerting its people flashing the warning, "Be Aware, Zika is Near" in its website. The health officials urged their people to be prepared, protect themselves from mosquito bites and prevent the breeding of these insects. In order to prevent mosquito bites, the ministry recommends using mosquito repellent with Deet, sleeping inside a mosquito net, covering the body as much as possible and wearing light-colored clothes. They also asked the people to do their part in the prevention of mosquito breeding. They advise the locals to identify and eliminate breeding grounds inside and outside their homes, and to conduct clean-up drives within the community, especially in schools and offices. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport and Works announced that it has already released J$200 million for the purpose of cleaning different areas in the country to combat the Zika virus, according to a report from The Gleaner-Jamaica. The funds came from the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already released some guidelines, especially, for pregnant women. The CDC advised them to put their plans of travelling on hold from countries affected by the Zika virus outbreak, such as Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador,French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. http://www.latinoshealth.com/articles/17909/20160201/jamaica-reports-4-year-old-boy-first-zika-virus-victim.htm

Virginia college student contracts Zika virusAssociated Press7:11 a.m. EST February 1, 2016(Photo: Felipe Dana / AP) CONNECTTWEETLINKEDINCOMMENTEMAILMOREWilliamsburg, Va. — University officials in Virginia say a College of William and Mary student contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break. The university said in a news release Saturday that the student is expected to recover and isn’t currently experiencing symptoms. The school also said that after consulting with its own health and wellness team and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it believes there is no health risk to anyone on campus. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to severe birth defects. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis. The virus has spread across Central and South America. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/nation/2016/02/01/zika-virus-virginia-student/79629462/

William and Mary student contracts Zika virusPOSTED 12:29 AM, FEBRUARY 1, 2016, BY CNN WIRE AND WEB STAFFFACEBOOK2TWITTEREMAILGOOGLEPINTERESTREDDIT WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- One of the two Virginians reported to have contracted the Zika virus is a student at the College of William and Mary. College officials said Saturday the student contracted the virus while traveling in Central America over winter break. However, William and Mary officials stressed the student poses no risk to anyone on campus. Zika, a relatively new mosquito-borne virus, is prompting worldwide concern because of an alarming connection to a neurological birth disorder and the rapid spread of the virus across the globe. The Zika virus, transmitted by the aggressive Aedes aegypti mosquito, has now spread to at least 24 countries. The WHO estimates 3 million to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against travel to those areas; health officials in several of those countries are telling female citizens to avoid becoming pregnant, in some cases for up to two years. Additionally, the U.S. Defense Department is offering voluntary relocation to pregnant employees and their beneficiaries who are stationed in affected areas. Here are five important things to know about Zika: 1. What is Zika and why is it so serious? The Zika virus is a flavivirus, part of the same family as yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue. But unlike some of those viruses, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika or medicine to treat the infection. Zika is commanding worldwide attention because of an alarming connection between the virus and microcephaly, a neurological disorder that results in babies being born with abnormally small heads. This causes severe developmental issues and sometimes death. Since November, Brazil has seen 4,180 cases of microcephaly in babies born to women who were infected with Zika during their pregnancies. To put that in perspective, there were only 146 cases in 2014. So far, 51 babies have died. Other Latin American countries are now seeing cases in newborns as well, while in the United States one Hawaiian baby was born with microcephaly linked to the Zika virus after his mother returned from Brazil. Several states have confirmed the virus in individuals who traveled to areas where the virus is circulating, including Illinois, where health officials are monitoring two infected pregnant women. The CDC is asking OB-GYNs to review fetal ultrasounds and do maternal testing for any pregnant woman who has traveled to one of the 24 countries where Zika is currently active. A smaller outbreak of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that can lead to life-threatening paralysis, is also linked to Zika in a several countries. 2. How is Zika spread? The virus is transmitted when an Aedes mosquito bites a person with an active infection and then spreads the virus by biting others. Those people then become carriers during the time they have symptoms. In most people, symptoms of the virus are mild, including fever, headache, rash and possible pink eye. In fact, 80% of those infected never know they have the disease. That's especially concerning for pregnant women, as this virus has now been shown to pass through amniotic fluid to the growing baby. "What we now know," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, "is that fetuses can be infected with the virus. That's not new for infectious diseases, but it is new for this virus." "This is a very remarkable and unusual situation," agreed Fauci, "because the other flaviviruses don't do that to our knowledge. You just don't see that with dengue or West Nile or chikungunya." In addition, the CDC says there have been documented cases of virus transmission during labor, blood transfusion, laboratory exposure and sexual contact. While Zika has been found in breast milk, it's not yet confirmed it can be passed to the baby through nursing. There have been only two documented cases linking Zika to sex. During the 2013 Zika outbreak in French Polynesia, semen and urine samples from a 44-year-old Tahitian man tested positive for Zika even when blood samples did not. Five years before that, in 2008, a Colorado microbiologist named Brian Foy contracted Zika after travel to Senegal; his wife came down with the disease a few days later even though she had not left northern Colorado and was not exposed to any mosquitoes carrying the virus. Canadian Blood Services, which manages most of Canada's supply of blood and blood products, is asking all potential blood donors who have traveled anywhere other than Canada, the United States or Europe to delay donating blood until one month after their return as a precaution even though the risk of a donor infecting a recipient is very low. The American Red Cross says it is considering asking donors to self-defer for 28 days but is not taking this step yet. 3. Where is the Zika virus now? The Zika virus is now being locally transmitted in Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Venezuela, says the CDC. Zika has arrived in the United States, but only from travelers returning from these infected areas. The concern, of course, is whether these imported cases could result in locally transmitted cases within the United States. The Aedes albopictus, or Asian tiger mosquito, which along with Aedes aegypti transmits Zika virus, is present in many areas of the United States. If mosquitoes in the United States do become carriers, a model created by Toronto researchers found more than 63% of the U.S. population lives in areas where Zika virus might spread during seasonally warm months. A little over 7% of Americans live in areas where the cold might not kill off the mosquito in the winter, leaving them vulnerable year round. 4. What can you do to protect yourself against Zika? With no treatment or vaccine available, the only protection against Zika is to avoid travel to areas with an active infestation. If you do travel to a country where Zika is present, the CDC advises strict adherence to mosquito protection measures: Use an EPA-approved repellent over sunscreen, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts thick enough to block a mosquito bite, and sleep in air-conditioned, screened rooms, among others. If you have Zika, you can keep from spreading it to others by avoiding mosquito bites during the first week of your illness, says the CDC. The female Aedes aegypti, the primary carrier of Zika, is an aggressive biter, preferring daytime to dusk and indoors to outdoors. Keeping screens on windows and doors is critical to preventing entry to homes and hotel rooms. 5. What's being done to stop Zika? Researchers are hard at work in laboratories around the world trying to create a Zika vaccine. A clinical trial for a Zika virus vaccine could begin this year, according to Fauci. "While in development, it's important to understand we won't have a vaccine this year or even in the next few years, although we may be able to have a clinical trial start this calendar year," he said. Until those efforts bear fruit, health officials are implementing traditional mosquito control techniques such as spraying pesticides and emptying standing water receptacles where mosquitoes breed. The CDC is encouraging local homeowners, hotel owners and visitors to countries with Zika outbreaks to join in by also eliminating any standing water they see, such as in outdoor buckets and flowerpots. Studies show local control is only marginally effective, since it's so hard to get to all possible breeding areas. And since Aedes aegypti has evolved to live near humans and "can replicate in flower vases and other tiny sources of water," said microbiologist Brian Foy, the mosquitoes are particularly difficult to find and eradicate. Another prevention effort is OX513A, a genetically modified male Aedes aegypti, dubbed by critics as the "mutant mosquito" or "Robo-Frankenstein mosquito." The creation of British company Oxitec, OX513A is designed to stop the spread of Zika by passing along a gene that makes his offspring die. Since females only mate once, in theory this slows the growth of the population. Each OX513A carries a fluorescent marker, so he can be tracked by scientists. Key West, Florida, residents gave the genetically modified male his monster nicknames while protesting a trial release of the mosquito in 2012 as a way to combat an outbreak of dengue fever in South Florida. That effort is under review by the Food and Drug Administration. But field trials in Brazil in 2011 were hugely successful, according to Oxitec, eliminating up to 99% of the target population. A new release of males in the Pedra Branca area of Brazil in 2014 was 92% successful, according to the company. The mosquito has also been tested in the Cayman Islands, Malaysia and Panama. Last year, Oxitec announced plans to build an OX513A mosquito production facility in Piracicaba, Brazil, that it says will be able to protect 300,000 residents. http://wtvr.com/2016/02/01/william-and-mary-student-has-zika/

CDC confirms 6 cases of Zika virus in Texas 5:13 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 | Filed in: Nation & WorldCOMMENTS 0 There are six confirmed cases of the Zika virus in Texas, according to the Department of Health Services. A female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquires a blood meal on the arm of a researcher at the Biomedical Sciences Institute in the Sao Paulo’s University, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. The Aedes aegypti is a vector for transmitting the Zika virus. (AP)Those infected contracted the virus while traveling abroad. There still are no locally transmitted cases in the U.S. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is especially dangerous for pregnant women. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and headache. >>Read more about the Zika virus here The little-known virus re-emerged in Brazil in 2015. Cases have been confirmed throughout South and Central America as well as Puerto Rico. In the U.S., cases have been confirmed in 11 states including three women in Florida; two women in Illinois and a woman in Hawaii who gave birth to a child who contracted the virus and was born with an unusually small head. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/national/cdc-confirms-6-cases-zika-virus-texas/nqGbZ/

Zika Virus – Jan. 29, 2016Texas has six confirmed travel-related cases of Zika virus disease in the state. The travelers were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home. There has been no reported local transmission of the disease in the continental United States. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause fever, rash, muscle and joint aches and pinkeye. Symptoms are usually mild, and most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all. There have been reports of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. The Texas Department of State Health Services is encouraging people to follow travel precautions for regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. DSHS recommends travelers avoid mosquito bites while abroad and for seven days after returning, in case they have been exposed to Zika virus. People can protect themselves from mosquito bites by: Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pantsUsing EPA-registered insect repellentsUsing permethrin-treated clothing and gear Staying and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms. Texas Zika Virus CDC Zika Virus https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/updates.shtm

Gregory Härtl ‏@HaertlG 3h3 hours ago#Zika Emergency Cttee will not be broadcast. Press briefing expected Tuesday afternoon at earliest. #ZikaVirus #ihr @WHO

Only one confirmed case of Zika virus in Guyana– monitoring, spraying ongoing0SHARES Share Tweet Print Email So far, there has only been one case of the Zika virus in Guyana, Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton says. “The Ministry of Public Health wants to make it very clear that only one case of the Zika virus has been presented in Guyana,” Norton told reporters at a press conference on Friday. He was accompanied by Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix and Minister of Tourism Catherine Hughes along with other health officials attached to the ministry. A 27-year-old woman, whose addresses were listed as Rose Hall, Corentyne and Covent Garden, East Bank… http://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/news/stories/02/01/one-confirmed-case-zika-virus-guyana/

Media reporting first confirmed Zika case in Guyana.

WHO actionWHO’s Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO) has been working closely with affected countries since May 2015. PAHO has mobilized staff and members of the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN) to assist ministries of health in strengthening their abilities to detect the arrival and circulation of Zika virus through laboratory testing and rapid reporting. The aim has been to ensure accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment for patients, to track the spread of the virus and the mosquito that carries it, and to promote prevention, especially through mosquito control. The Organization is supporting the scaling up and strengthening of surveillance systems in countries that have reported cases of Zika and of microcephaly and other neurological conditions that may be associated with the virus. Surveillance is also being heightened in countries to which the virus may spread. In the coming weeks, the Organization will convene experts to address critical gaps in scientific knowledge about the virus and its potential effects on fetuses, children and adults. WHO will also prioritize the development of vaccines and new tools to control mosquito populations, as well as improving diagnostic tests. Christian Lindmeier Communications Officer, WHO Telephone: +41 22 791 1948 Mobile: +41 79 5006552 E-mail: [email protected] Corrigendum: The following sentence was updated. "In May 2015, Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus disease. Since then, the disease has spread within Brazil and to 22 other countries and territories in the region."

Outbreak in the AmericasIn May 2015, Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus disease. Since then, the disease has spread within Brazil and to 22 other countries and territories in the region. Arrival of the virus in some countries of the Americas, notably Brazil, has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a poorly understood condition in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in paralysis. A causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects and neurological syndromes has not been established, but is strongly suspected.

WHO to convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformationsWHO statement 28 January 2016 WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, will convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations. The Committee will meet on Monday 1 February in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Decisions concerning the Committee’s membership and advice will be made public on WHO’s website. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2016/emergency-committee-zika/en/

William & Mary student contracts Zika virus in Central AmericaStoryCommentsPrintCreate a hardcopy of this pageFont Size:Default font sizeLarger font size2 AP Photo/Felipe Dana An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed through a microscope at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus currently spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. Related StoriesVirginia resident tests positive for Zika virus Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2016 6:46 pm Richmond Times-Dispatch A College of William and Mary student contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break, the school announced Saturday. The university, which has consulted with its own health and wellness team as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believes there is no health risk to anyone on campus. "It is our understanding that, thankfully, the student is expected to recover fully and is not currently experiencing symptoms," the school said in an email to students that directed them to resources about the illness. The mosquito-borne Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Caribbean and Central and South America. Virginia health officials have said there is little risk of the virus spreading locally because mosquitoes are not active in the state this time of year. The W&M student appears to be Virginia's second Zika case. Earlier in the week, state health officials said a Virginia woman contracted the virus during travel out of the country. The woman lives in the northwest health region of the state, health officials said. Lab testing completed Monday confirmed the woman was infected. Officials from Brazil and international health organizations are trying to determine if a widespread outbreak of the virus there is related to a seemingly sudden upswing in cases of birth defects, including children being born with underdeveloped heads. http://www.newsadvance.com/news/state/william-mary-student-contracts-zika-virus-in-central-america/article_bc311d86-c7ab-11e5-abe6-8b05de414808.html#.Vq2jBP2FM44.twitter

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W&M student contracts Zika virus in Central AmericaStoryCommentsPrintCreate a hardcopy of this pageFont Size:Default font sizeLarger font size Felipe Dana Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus currently spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2016 7:57 pm Richmond Times-Dispatch RICHMOND — A College of William and Mary student contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break, the school announced Saturday. The university, which has consulted with its own health and wellness team as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believes there is no health risk to anyone on campus. "It is our understanding that, thankfully, the student is expected to recover fully and is not currently experiencing symptoms," the school said in an email to students that directed them to resources about the illness. The mosquito-borne Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Caribbean and Central and South America. Virginia health officials have said there is little risk of the virus spreading locally because mosquitoes are not active in the state this time of year. The W&M student appears to be Virginia's second Zika case. Earlier in the week, state health officials said a Virginia woman contracted the virus during travel out of the country. The woman lives in the northwest health region of the state, health officials said. Lab testing completed Monday confirmed the woman was infected. Officials from Brazil and international health organizations are trying to determine if a widespread outbreak of the virus there is related to a seemingly sudden upswing in cases of birth defects, including children being born with underdeveloped heads. The Associated Press contributed to this story. http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/state/w-m-student-contracts-zika-virus-in-central-america/article_8dfbb8d6-c7b5-11e5-9693-7bd83589f31c.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Student Contracts Zika VirusWritten by Emily Martell |January 30, 2016 7:47 PMA student of the College contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break. COURTESY PHOTO / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS A student contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America during winter break, according to Vice President for Student Affairs Virginia M. Ambler ’88, Ph.D. ’06. The administration has consulted with staff both in the College of William and Mary’s Health and Wellness and Centers for Disease Control and does not believe this exposure poses a health risk to anyone on campus. The student is not currently experiencing symptoms and is expected to make a full recovery. The Reves Center posted the CDC’s travel alerts for the Zika Virus Jan. 28. The CDC alert is Level 2, and recommends that travelers to affected regions practice enhanced precautions. The Travel Health Notices extend to parts of the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Cape Verde, Samoa and Mexico. The Zika virus is spread by mosquito bites and travelers are advised to protect themselves by covering exposed skin, using permethrin-treated clothing, sleeping indoors and using EPA-registered insect repellents. Hospitalization is uncommon and only one in five people infected become ill. However, there is currently no preventative vaccine or medication that treats the Zika virus. There is a link between the Zika virus in pregnant women and microcephaly, a serious birth defect where the baby’s head size is abnormally small and brain has not developed properly. Although little is known about this connection, the CDC recommends that pregnant women avoid traveling to affected regions. International Travel and Security Manager Nick Vasquez is monitoring the situation on campus. Additional information is available by contacting the Student Health Center at (757) 221-4386. http://flathatnews.com/2016/01/30/student-contracts-zika-virus/

W&M student contracts Zika virus in Central AmericaStoryCommentsPrintCreate a hardcopy of this pageFont Size:Default font sizeLarger font size41 FELIPE DANA An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed through a microscope at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus currently spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) ........................ ADVERTISEMENT ...................... Posted: Saturday, January 30, 2016 6:00 pm From staff reports A College of William and Mary student contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break, the school announced Saturday. The university, which has consulted with its own health and wellness team as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believes there is no health risk to anyone on campus. “It is our understanding that, thankfully, the student is expected to recover fully and is not currently experiencing symptoms,” the school said in an email to students that directed them to resources about the illness. The mosquito-borne Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Caribbean and Central and South America. Officials suspect the virus is linked to a disfiguring birth defect in which babies have small heads. Virginia health officials have said there is little risk of the virus spreading locally because mosquitoes are not active in the state this time of year. Last week, state health officials said a Virginia woman contracted the virusduring travel out of the country. The woman lives in the northwest health region of the state, health officials said. Lab testing completed Monday confirmed the woman was infected. A state health official could not say Saturday whether the W&M student’s case represents the second report of Zika in Virginia. It was unclear whether the W&M case is new, or whether the student and the woman who the state previously said has the virus are the same person. Other states also have cases of imported Zika virus, including New York, Texas and Florida, according to news reports. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/article_4433d56f-8557-58c1-bede-3187c7ee5926.html

Informational Health Advisoryby Ginger Ambler | January 30, 2016Dear students – We have learned that one of our students apparently contracted the Zika virus while traveling in Central America over winter break. Our consultations with our own Health & Wellness team and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirm there is believed to be no health risk to anyone on campus. It is our understanding that, thankfully, the student is expected to recover fully and is not currently experiencing symptoms. The purpose of this note is simply to provide facts about the virus and point you to resources should you have questions. Certainly there has been a lot of recent news coverage about Zika virus. As you follow this coverage, do keep in mind these key facts about the virus: Zika virus is primarily spread to people through mosquito bites.Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill.Though the exact incubation period for the Zika virus disease is not known, researchers believe it to be a few days to a week.There is not currently a vaccine for this virus.If you have additional questions, a Q&A on the virus from the CDC may be found, here. Nick Vasquez, the university’s international travel and security manager, is monitoring the situation closely and we stay current with any warnings regarding travel to the affected areas. The Reves Center posted some background and travel information yesterday. If you still have questions or concerns, feel free to contact me or the Health Center (757.221.4386). Ginger Ambler Vice President for Student Affairs http://www.wm.edu/news/announcements/2016/informational-health-advisory.php

William & Mary Student ex-Central America Zika Confirmed http://www.wm.edu/news/announcements/2016/informational-health-advisory.php

NYS Health Commissioner to hold Zika webinar on MondayDepartment of Health Press Office and News Staff Updated: 01/30/2016 3:10 PM Created: 01/30/2016 12:22 PM The New York State Department of Health has announced that Dr. Howard Zucker, who is the New York State Health Commissioner, will be holding a Zika virus webinar on Monday, February 1 at 1:00 P.M. The Department of Health Press Office says that the webinar will be held for health professionals in order to discuss the virus. The Zika virus was first detected in Brazil in May of 2015, and has since been spreading throughout South America. The Department of Health notes that there have been nine confirmed cases of Zika in New York State. Two of these cases in New York were confirmed late Friday. It has been reported that all of those infected are individuals who are returning from countries with ongoing transmission of Zika. Zika virus is primarily spread by infected mosquitos, so there is a very small chance of transmission happening locally in New York during the winter. It also cannot be spread by casual person-to-person contact, but there is concern it may be transmitted sexually. "As health professionals it is absolutely critical that we have the most up-to-date information on Zika virus, so we can advise the public, while also preventing the spread of misinformation and panic," Dr. Zucker said. "This webinar will be an opportunity to discuss the steps the Department of Health is taking to reduce the risk of Zika virus for New Yorkers." Symptoms of the disease are typically very mild, and those infected may not even know that they have contracted the virus. There have been reports of increased cases of a birth defect known as microcephaly that could possibly be associated with Zika virus infecting pregnant women. The department of health says that pregnant women who traveled to a county with ongoing Zika transmission should contact their health care provider if they experience fever, rash, joint pain, or red eyes. Symptoms usually begin two to seven days after being bitten. Both the DOH and the CDC recommend that pregnant women review travel warnings and consider avoiding areas with ongoing transmission of the disease. The DOH will also closely monitor mosquitos as warmer weather arrives. One species of mosquito in particular, Aedes albopictus, is a tropical mosquito that has a hard time surviving cold winters. The Department of Health says that this type of mosquito is limited to New York City and the following counties: Nassau, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester. The webinar will be held on Monday at 1:00 P.M. For more information on the Zika virus, visit the Department of Health's website here. http://www.whec.com/article/stories/s4033283.shtml

State health panel to host webinar on Zika virusBY DENIS SLATTERY NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Saturday, January 30, 2016, 6:35 PMA A Afacebook2TweetemailSHARE THIS URLUESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERSThe Zika virus is linked to microcephaly, a birth defect causing newborns to have unusually small heads and abnormal brain development.State officials said Saturday it will host a webinar on the Zika virus for health professionals, after nine cases were diagnosed in New York. ZIKA VIRUS VACCINE COULD BE READY FOR EMERGENCY USE BEFORE END OF 2016 MARCUS SANTOS /NEW YORK DAILYState Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker.State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said officials will discuss during the Monday forum how they are attempting to reduce the spread of Zika. Meanwhile, Russia — not considered at risk — is working on a vaccine to combat the virus, officials said. Russian scientists hope to have a patent ready for testing by March, with plans to export the vaccine. The mosquito-borne virus has spread rapidly, mostly in Latin America. Symptoms are mild and cold-like, but the virus is linked to microcephaly, a birth defect causing newborns to have unusually small heads and abnormal brain development. With News Wire Services http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/state-health-panel-host-webinar-zika-virus-article-1.2514955

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Officials say they'll host a webinar on the Zika virus for health professionals statewide following the identification of nine cases in New York. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says Saturday officials will discuss how they're reducing the risk of spreading Zika during Monday's forum. The mosquito-borne virus has been identified in nine New Yorkers who recently returned from countries where the virus is actively being transmitted. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued travel warnings for pregnant women in countries mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean. The virus has been linked with microcephaly, which can leave affected newborns with unusually small heads and abnormal brain development. State health officials say they'll closely monitor mosquitoes when the weather warms. You can register for the webinar here. http://13wham.com/news/top-stories/new-yorks-9-zika-cases-prompt-webinar-for-health-officials-01-30-2016