The Hawaii Ministry of Health (DOH) has confirmed a case linked to Zika virus trips to Oahu and identified two others that could have been exposed, which prompted a public warning to avoid mosquito bites and eliminate breeding grounds.
Nowsweek contacted Hawaii Doh and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) For comment by e-mail.
Why it matters
Zika is mainly spread out by a Cashier Mosquito of species, although the CDC notes that it can also spread by sex or a fetus during pregnancy. There is no vaccine to prevent or treat the Zika virus for the moment.
A infection known to cause congenital malformations, Zika drew national attention in 2015 When a group of cases in Brazil produced an increase in babies born with abnormally small heads.
Oahu is a popular tourist destination that houses many beaches, volcanoes and port of Peal, among other attractions.
What to know
In a press release on May 27, the Hawaii DOH confirmed that an individual on Oahu Island had the Zika virus. The ministry calls residents, visitors and businesses to prevent the virus by taking certain precautions such as:
- Apply the insectifuge (use products recorded with the environmental protection agency which contains 20 to 30% of Deet)
- Wear long -sleeved shirts and pants
- Keep mosquitoes out of houses and businesses by ensuring that screens are intact and the doors are kept closed
- Remove the stagnant waters around the house and the buildings
Symptoms of the zika virus are generally soft and may include fever, rashes, headache, joint pain, red eyes and muscle pain. Most people do not know if they contract Zika and about one in five people with Zika has light symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
However, the virus is the most worrying for pregnant women because it can prevent the “brain of the fetus from developing properly” the CDC declares. Health managers recommend using protection during sexual activity to limit the potential propagation of the virus.
The last case linked to trips to Hawaii was reported in 2019, said Hawaii Doh in the press release. Zika’s epidemics were much more common years ago, with an epidemic between 2014 and 2017 in the Americas.
AP photo / Rick Bowmer
What people say
The official Nobel X Prize, formerly Twitter, wrote on May 13: “There are now new opportunities for the development of future vaccines against influenza, Zika and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), thanks to the work of two Nobel Prize winners who have developed mRNA technology to produce COVVI-19 vaccines in a remarkably short time.”
What happens next
The “vector control teams” were sent to the area around the place where the individual was, including Haleiwa.
Although there are currently no specific treatment for the Zika virus, several vaccine candidates are currently in development.