A pregnant woman from North Dakota who traveled to Puerto Rico has tested positive for Zika virus, according to a report by North Dakota health officials.

So far, no defect has been found on the infant, however, it is known that an abnormally small head that can affect brain development, along with other birth defects could affect it.

Pregnant-Woman-Infected-with-Zika
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, standing pools of water, specially in warm and urban places, attrack the mosquitoes and can lead to the virus’ spread. Credit: CFR

Laura Conquist, a state epidemiologist said that pregnant women shouldn’t travel to countries with Zika transmission, and if they must, they must have been extremely careful to avoid mosquito bites.

Now, if she got Zika and its back to North Dakota, are there any chances that mosquitos there could carry the virus? Actually no, since the mosquitoes in North Dakota don’t spread the Zika virus, so the prevention efforts of the health officials are focused on raising awareness about the risk of travel-associated and sexually transmitted Zika virus infections.

NASA’s Zika map

Taking action on this, many NASA scientists have created a map to better target future search-and-destroy missions from the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. The blood-sucking females are responsible for the spread of dangerous diseases such as yellow and dengue fevers, chikungunya and now Zika.

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NASA created a “risk-assessment map” that shows the Aedes aegypti potential abundance. Credit: NASA

Zika, just as health, is an important topic on this presidential run, when it doesn’t matter if a Republican or a Democrat is elected, as long as major health issues like this get solved.

Actually, top U.S. health officials are calling for the Zika virus threat as an emergency. The White House has asked for about $1.9 billion to pay for a package of preparations, medical treatments and education about the Zika.

In the case of pregnant women, it’s of particular concern since they can pass it on and those children can be born with microcephaly, which is a neurological condition where the baby’s head and brain are underdeveloped.

Zika still spreading

South Korea has recorded its second case of Zika virus infection, involving a man who had a history of travel to the Philippines.

News agency Xinhua reported that the 20-year-old man claimed to have been bitten by mosquitoes while staying in the Philippines for five days through April 14.

This man developed symptoms of flu on April 20, and started manifesting rashes two days later, becoming the second Zika case in South Korea since a 43-year-old man was diagnosed with the virus on March 22.

Department of Health Secretary Janette Garin said the new case has been confirmed by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Garin has also said the patient is well now, and not in the Philippines anymore.

 Source: Daily News