OKLAHOMA SEES FIRST FOUR CASES OF ZIKA VIRUS
Oklahoma health officials confirmed the first four cases of travel-related Zika virus in the state, including one case in a pregnant woman. Officials say the threat in Oklahoma is low, but they are monitoring for the presence of the mosquito through which the virus primarily is spread.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the first four travel-related cases of Zika virus in Oklahoma, including one case in a pregnant woman.
“We are strongly recommending that pregnant women and spouses or sexual partners of women who are pregnant or might be pregnant, avoid traveling to areas where Zika virus has been identified if at all possible,” said Oklahoma state epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley in a statement. “If travel cannot be avoided, persons in these high risk groups should rigorously practice mosquito bite precautions and notify their health care provider if any symptoms of illness occur within 2 weeks of travel.”
In the meantime, state Health Department officials have enlisted the help of the Oklahoma State University Department of Entomology and the Oklahoma City-County and Tulsa health departments to monitor the state for the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, through which Zika is primarily spread. This type of mosquito is not commonly found in Oklahoma.
The virus also can be spread via sexual contact with men who have the virus or from a mother to her unborn child.
The most significant health threat the virus poses is to pregnant women. Zika has been linked to a microcephaly outbreak throughout Central and South America. A baby with the birth defect has a head much smaller than expected. The virus is also thought to trigger Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, which can cause muscle loss and weakness and loss of sensation in the legs and arms, according to the World Health Organization.
Screenings, protocols
There is currently no vaccine, preventive medication or specific treatment drug available for Zika virus.
The state Health Department has introduced a screening tool and protocols for maternity and health clinics to determine if testing for Zika is warranted, it announced Tuesday.
Health officials say the threat of Zika virus in Oklahoma is low.
As of April 13, the CDC had reported 358 travel-associated Zika virus disease cases nationwide.