First travel-related case of Zika virus confirmed in North Carolina

The CDC is also recommending any male who has traveled to areas where Zika is present, to use protection during sexual activities.

The situation is particularly serious in Brazil, which has recorded more than 4,700 cases of babies born with abnormally small heads and brains.

People who have traveled to places where the Zika virus is circulating should wait a month before donating blood, just to be safe, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.

Of the 508 babies with confirmed microcephaly in Brazil, only a handful have evidence of Zika infection. Laboratory tests confirmed infections in 1,612 cases, and 5,251 were listed as suspected Zika infections.

The Zika virus is the cause of much concern, with an increasing number of infections being reported in Brazil and in other parts of the Americas. Public health officials also warn that mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus can also be carries of disease such as dengue or chikungunya.

According to an IDPH press release, the resident, who is between the ages of 61 and 80, has "a travel history to Central America", a region that includes Zika-affected areas.

Go to the Ohio Department of Health website for more information about Zika virus and links to CDC resources including travel advisories for countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

The zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, particularly from an infected mosquito from the aedes species. The virus has already been associated with a rise in the microcephaly in Brazil.

Hsiao said the precautions being taken by the government were due to the World Health Organisation declaring Zika a global threat. Officials there have advised pregnant women to stay at home. Dr. Remley and AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases Vice Chair Yvonne A. Maldonado, M.D., FAAP, recently participated in a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine rapid research workshop on Zika virus that brought experts together to discuss research priorities, clinical management and public health interventions.

Only about one in five people infected with Zika actually get sick, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and then the symptoms most commonly resemble the flu, including fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis or red eyes.

They urged travellers to "take protective measures to prevent mosquito bites" and said women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should consider postponing trips to Zika-prone countries.

Source: First travel-related case of Zika virus confirmed in North Carolina