Zika Cases In Alabama Increase To 15

[niman]

Alabama Residents Tested for Zika Virus as of July 26, 2016

http://www.adph.org/mosquito/index.asp?id=7427

 

Number of Submissions	Positive Test Results for Zika or Flavivirus, unspecified (likely Zika)
149	15

[niman]

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[niman]

The first confirmed case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus has surfaced in Cullman County, a state health official confirmed Thursday.

Lab tests confirmed last week that a local resident had contracted the virus after recently traveling to a country afflicted with the illness which has been linked to potential severe birth defects in babies born to infected mothers.

“The person had traveled to one of the countries that is currently affected by Zika — that is in the Caribbean, South America and Central America,” said Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris who is the Public Health Area 3 Health Officer overseeing Cullman County.

“We have counseled that patient to make sure they received appropriate care from a doctor and to avoid exposure to mosquitos for the next few weeks. We also sent one of our environmentalists to that person’s home to survey the area and neighborhood surrounding it to make sure there is no standing water or other areas where mosquitos can breed.”

“We take those steps because we want to make sure the virus is not transmitted to anyone else in the area.”

The Zika virus is contracted primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. These are the same mosquitoes that spread dengue and chikungunya viruses.

Fortunately, the Aedes species has been pushed out of Alabama by the Asian tiger mosquito. Scientists discovered when male Asian tiger mosquitoes attempt to breed with female aedes aegypti, females are left sterile.

 

To date, there have been 15 confirmed Zika cases in Alabama, Harris said. 

http://www.cullmantimes.com/news/first-zika-case-confirmed-in-cullman-county/article_551a4226-5527-11e6-9733-0f4c6d2ab974.html

 

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