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Zika Case In Hudson Co New Jersey ex-Honduras

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niman Grand Master

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A second travel-related case of the Zika virus was confirmed by federal health officials late last week, the N.J. Department of Health said today.

The newest case involved a woman in Hudson County who had acquired the virus while visiting Honduras.

http://www.nj.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2016/02/2nd_zika_case_in_nj_confirmed.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

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niman Grand Master

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2nd Zika case in N.J. confirmed; CDC expands travel warning

 
 
 
 

A second travel-related case of the Zika virus was confirmed by federal health officials late last week, the N.J. Department of Health said today.

The newest case involved a woman in Hudson County who had acquired the virus while visiting Honduras.

"There is no public health risk because the woman was exposed to mosquitoes in Honduras," the state department of health statement indicated. That statement did not indicate the woman's age or town.

Naila AminSeveral studies are underway in Zika outbreak countries to see if the mosquito-borne virus is the actual case. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) 

The state's first travel-related case was last December, when a woman who had been exposed to the virus in Colombia got sick when she was visiting Bergen County. She fully recovered and returned Colombia.

The Zika virus is mainly transmitted from mosquitoes. It is not spread from person-to-person except by sexual relations. 

In the meantime, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added two more Caribbean countriesto its list of destinations that pregnant women should avoid: St. Vincent and the Grenadines & Sint Maarten.

The virus produces no symptoms in most of the people exposed to it. Those who do get sick usually have a mild illness with fever, rash, and "pink eye."

However, the situation is far more dire for pregnant women, whose developing fetuses are now thought to be extremely vulnerable to the virus. A spike in the number of cases of microcephaly, or an abnormally small head, started turning up in Brazil at the end of last year.

The CDC as well as other researchers are trying to determine whether the virus - relatively new to South America - definitively causes birth defects. 

State health officials, including Acting Commissioner Cathleen Bennett and State Epidemiologist Tina Tan will talk about the Zika virus later this week at Montclair State University, where a group is scheduled to travel to Brazil next month.1"New Jersey does not expect to see Zika outbreaks based on many years of mosquito control and monitoring in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and local government," Tan said.

 

If you cancel a trip over Zika fears, can you get a refund?

If you cancel a trip over Zika fears, can you get a refund?

Even though there is a health travel advisory urging pregnant women to avoid travel to countries where the Zika virus is being transmitted, that might not suffice for a vacation refund.

 

The main mosquito that transmits Zika isn't prevalent in New Jersey - although it can make a limited appearance here during the summer. A second mosquito that is more common in New Jersey can also transmit Zika - but doesn't naturally prefer to bite humans, according to entomologists.

Tan also pointed out that the United States' experience with other mosquito-borne viruses like dengue and chikungunya have been largely travel-imported cases that have not led to widespread outbreaks.

Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

http://www.nj.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2016/02/2nd_zika_case_in_nj_confirmed.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

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niman Grand Master

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PO Box 360 
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
Monday, February 29, 2016

Cathleen D. Bennett
Acting Commissioner 

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

CDC Confirms Second Travel-Related Zika Virus Case in NJ

 

Acting Commissioner, Physicians to Meet With Pregnant Women, College Students in #ZapZika Public Education Campaign

 

A State Health Department public education campaign is underway to explain the risk of the Zika virus to pregnant women, college students and others considering travel to Latin America and the Caribbean as federal authorities confirm a second travel-related case in New Jersey.

As part of the #ZapZika campaign, Acting Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett and the Department of Health’s top doctors — including Deputy Commissioner Dr. Arturo Brito, a bilingual pediatrician — will meet with pregnant women in health centers and hospitals, physician groups, college students, professional medical societies and public health officials. Radio public service announcements have been developed in English and Spanish, along with NJ Transit bus advertising encouraging pregnant women to avoid travel to Zika-affected countries and travelers to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants.

“The severity of the Zika outbreaks highlights the importance of education and awareness to keep travelers and visitors informed and healthy,” Acting Commissioner Bennett said.

The Department’s campaign will build on previous outreach efforts. More than 1,000 public health and health care professionals and maternal and child health advocates have participated in five conference calls hosted by the Department to share information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and more than 350 local health officials joined a training webinar and received tool kits to use in their communities.

Zika is primarily spread through a bite of the Aedes species mosquito, typically found in southern states. There is a closely related species in New Jersey, and the CDC is monitoring to determine how effectively this mosquito “cousin” can carry and transmit Zika.

The vast majority of individuals who get Zika do not develop symptoms. For those who do, symptoms tend to be mild.

“Our biggest concern at this point is pregnant women who may acquire Zika while traveling and the potential impact of the virus on their unborn children," Acting Commissioner Bennett said.

The CDC has also cautioned that sexual transmission of Zika has been reported after travel to the impacted countries. The Red Cross has recommended that blood donors who have traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central or South America postpone donations until 28 days after returning to the U.S.

“New Jersey does not expect to see Zika outbreaks based on many years of mosquito control and monitoring in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and local government,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Tina Tan. She also pointed out that the United States' experience with other mosquito-borne viruses like dengue and chikungunya have been largely travel-imported cases that have not led to widespread outbreaks.

“In light of the serious concern over Zika and birth defects, women who are either pregnant or considering becoming pregnant should postpone travel to Latin American countries and the Caribbean and should also be aware about possible sexual transmission risk,” Dr. Tan added.

Acting Commissioner Bennett and Dr. Tan will visit Montclair State University on Thursday, March 3 to meet with students and faculty, some of whom will be traveling to Brazil next month.

The CDC late last week confirmed a second Zika case in New Jersey in a Hudson County woman who traveled to Honduras. There is no public health risk because the woman was exposed to mosquitoes in Honduras. The CDC notified the Department in December 2015 of New Jersey’s first travel-related Zika case in an individual who was visiting Bergen County at the end of November 2015 and was exposed in Colombia, where she resides. She fully recovered and returned to Colombia.

Dr. Brito and other physicians will meet with pregnant women, nurses and medical students and hold Zika discussions with groups of doctors in hospitals. State epidemiologists will also meet with public health and health care groups.

“As the 11th most populous state, New Jersey is highly diverse with 20 percent of our population foreign born. Global travel is more common now than ever before,” Dr. Brito said. "Our vision is to have zero babies born with Zika because their mothers are aware of the travel advisories and potential risks."

For CDC’s Zika-related travel advisory list of impacted countries and territories, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/active-countries.html. The list of affected countries is growing, so check the CDC website for up-to-date information on travel recommendations.

There is no vaccine or medicine to treat Zika. Mosquito bites remain the primary way Zika virus is transmitted. When traveling to countries where viruses have been reported, the best way to protect yourself is to use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens. 

Upcoming public events as part of the campaign include:

For more information, visit the Department’s Zika webpage at nj.gov/health/cd/zika/ or CDC’s Zika website atcdc.gov/zika.

Follow the New Jersey Department of Health on Twitter at twitter.com/NJDeptofHealth and on Facebook atfacebook.com/NJDeptofHealth.

http://www.nj.gov/health/news/2016/approved/20160229a.html

 

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