Nebraska now has it's third confirmed case of Zika.
A Douglas County woman contracted Zika from traveling to an affected country.
Symptoms of those who contract zika are often mild, and don't even show up in eighty percent of those infected.
Preventive tips include:
- Using an EPA-registered insect repellent properly
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
- Staying in places with air conditioning or that have screens on doors and windows
However, the virus is severely dangerous to pregnant women, as Zika can cause birth defects like microcephaly, which can cause the infant's brain to be under-developed.
Here's some facts about the Zika virus:
There have been 1,132 travel-related cases of Zika virus in the U.S.
- The primary mosquito (Aedes aegypti) that transmits Zika virus is found in tropical areas and the southern U.S., but is not established in Nebraska.
- DHHS started surveillance in certain areas of eastern Nebraska for the Aedes albopictus or Asian tiger mosquito which can also be a transmitter of Zika virus. This particular type of mosquito has been found in very limited numbers in eastern Nebraska previously. The additional surveillance will give public health officials an idea of how prevalent the Asian tiger mosquito is locally.
- A very small number of Asian tiger mosquitoes have been found in Richardson County so far. According to Dr. Safranek, this is not unexpected and doesn’t change that Nebraska is considered a low-risk state for the possibility of Zika virus being transmitted here.
- Zika virus was first recognized in 1947. The first outbreaks occurred in 2007 and 2013 in the Pacific Islands. In 2015, outbreaks occurred in Brazil and other countries. Mosquitoes continue to spread the virus. Map of countries currently affected, click here
For more information, visit: cdc.gov/zika For advice to travelers, visit here.
