(Woodland, CA) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed today that a Yolo County resident has tested positive for Zika virus. This individual recently traveled out of the country and had a mild case of Zika.
Editors Note: The number of confirmed Zika cases in the U.S. now stands at 66, including the one in Yolo County.
Zika virus is a relatively new disease for the Western hemisphere. It first appeared in Brazil in May of 2015. It has since spread to 20 countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including Mexico. Zika is spread through mosquito bites, not casual person-to-person contact. According to the CDC, the most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and red, itchy eyes. Symptoms are usually mild and last several days to a week. Many people who have Zika will not experience symptoms. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Zika.
Pregnant women, however, are believed to be most at risk for complications from the Zika virus because serious birth defects have been reported in infants born to women infected with the virus. The CDC is planning studies to learn more about the connection between Zika and children born with these birth defects. In the meantime, the CDC has issued travel guidance for women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant. To stay up-to-date on the CDC’s latest travel notices, visit: www.cdc.gov/travel.
“Yolo County residents traveling to Central or South America or the Caribbean, where Zika is present, should take precautions against mosquitoes,” said Yolo County Health Officer Ron Chapman, MD, MPH. “If you are pregnant, consider postponing your trip. All travelers to areas where Zika is present should go to their doctor if they experience any of the symptoms associated with Zika within three to seven days after they return. Pregnant women who have recently traveled to an area with Zika should talk to a healthcare provider about their travel even if they don’t feel sick.”
Ways to avoid mosquito bites include:
• Using an insect repellant containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus;
• Wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers;
• Using air conditioning or window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside; and
• Reducing the number of mosquitoes inside and outside your home by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets. Mosquitoes can breed in as little amount of water as a bottle cap.
To learn more about Zika virus, visit: www.cdc.gov/zika and www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Zika.aspx.
For the most current information about Zika virus, please visit www.cdc.gov/zika.
Zika Travel Notices
- Zika Virus in Cape Verde
- Zika Virus in the Caribbean
Currently includes: Barbados; Curaçao; Dominican Republic; Guadeloupe; Haiti; Jamaica; Martinique; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory; Saint Martin; U.S. Virgin Islands - Zika Virus in Central America
Currently includes: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama - Zika Virus in Mexico
- Zika Virus in the Pacific Islands
Currently includes: American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga - Zika Virus in South America
Currently includes: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela
For Clinicians
- Update: Interim Guidelines for Health Care Providers Caring for Pregnant Women and Women of Reproductive Age with Possible Zika Virus Exposure — United States, 2016
- CDC Health Alert Network advisory: Recognizing, Managing, and Reporting Zika Virus Infections in Travelers Returning from Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico for Zika virus
- Zika: For Healthcare Providers on CDC’s Zika site
- Possible Association Between Zika Virus Infection and Microcephaly — Brazil, 2015
