New York - NYS Department of Health confirms 7 cases of Zika virus - one of the three cases in New York City is a pregnant woman

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NYS Department of Health Testing Finds Three Cases of Zika Virus

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 22, 2016) - The New York State Department of Health (DOH) today announced that three individuals who recently traveled to areas outside of the United States where Zika virus transmission is ongoing have tested positive for the virus. One patient has fully recovered, and the others are recovering without any complications.

Zika virus cannot be spread by casual person-to-person contact. The symptoms of Zika virus infection are usually very mild, and many people might not even realize they have been infected. However, there have been reports of increased cases of a birth defect known as microcephaly that may be associated with Zika virus infection among pregnant women.

Only one in five people infected with Zika virus will get sick, with the most common symptoms being fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. There is currently no vaccine to prevent infection or medicine to treat Zika virus

"There is virtually no risk of acquiring Zika virus in New York State at this time as the virus cannot be spread by casual contact with an infected person and mosquitoes are not active in cold winter months," said DOH Commissioner Howard Zucker. "But since this is a time of year when people travel to warmer climates and countries where Zika virus is found, we are urging residents, especially pregnant women, to check all health advisories before traveling and take preventive measures when traveling to affected countries."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing (www.cdc.gov/travel). Adverse birth outcomes of infected women have been reported and studies are planned to learn more about the risks of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

Pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Pregnant women who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip:

• Dress in long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active
• Use repellant products registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Do not overuse repellant – only apply as much as you need to provide protection
• Read and follow label directions before you use any kind of repellant

See your healthcare provider if you are pregnant and develop a fever, rash, joint pain, or red eyes within 2 weeks after traveling to a country where Zika virus cases have been reported. Be sure to tell your health care provider where you traveled.

Because specific areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing are difficult to determine and likely to change over time, CDC will update their travel notices as information becomes available. Travelers should check the CDC travel website frequently for the most up-to-date recommendations.

Physicians and hospitals are required to report all suspected cases of Zika virus and more than 70 other diseases in the state. The Department of Health's Wadsworth Laboratory has the capacity to test for Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases and identified the 3 cases in New York State. The Department has shared information with providers across the state, alerting them to signs and symptoms of Zika virus, as well as the instructions on what samples are required to test for the virus. The Department will expand mosquito surveillance in the spring, to closely monitor Aedes albopictus, which is the one species of mosquito that can transmit Zika virus that is present in some parts of New York State.

The Wadsworth Center is one of only a few state public health laboratories, outside of the CDC, that can test for Zika virus. Medical providers who wish to access Zika virus testing must contact their local health department to obtain approval before sending specimens to Wadsworth. Interim guidelines for care for pregnant women, including recommendations for screening, testing, and management of returning travelers is available from the CDC website athttp://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/.

https://www.health.ny.gov/press/rele...zika_virus.htm

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NYS Department of Health Announces Steps to Address Zika Virus

Agency Confirms Additional Infections in New Yorkers Who Have Travelled to Countries Where Zika is Ongoing

Virus Cannot be Transmitted by Casual Contact

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 28, 2016) - The New York State Department of Health (DOH) today confirmed two additional cases of Zika virus in New York, bringing the total to seven. All of the infected patients are travelers returning to New York from countries where Zika virus is ongoing.

Zika virus cannot be transmitted by casual person-to-person contact. While there is concern that Zika virus may be sexually transmitted, officials at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have said the evidence of sexual transmission is insufficient.

Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "Because Zika virus is primarily transmitted by infected mosquitos, there is very limited chance of local transmission in New York during the winter. Even so, the Department of Health is taking steps now to protect the health of all New Yorkers and to prepare for the warmer months when mosquitos will be active in New York."

The symptoms of Zika virus infection are usually very mild, and many people might not even realize they have been infected. However, there have been reports of increased cases of a birth defect known as microcephaly that may be associated with Zika virus infection among pregnant women. If you are pregnant and have travelled to a country where Zika is ongoing, contact your health care provider if you experience the following symptoms: fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Increasing Mosquito Surveillance

DOH regularly monitors mosquitos throughout New York State. Once warmer weather arrives, DOH will closely monitor mosquitos in regions where a certain mosquito species, Aedes albopictus, is present to identify the presence of Zika virus.
Aedes albopictus is a tropical mosquito that has difficulty surviving cold winters, which has limited its northward spread. The distribution of this mosquito is currently limited to New York City and the following counties: Nassau, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester.
DOH is continuing to track the distribution of Aedes albopictus through enhanced mosquito surveillance. Additionally, other mosquito species collected and tested for West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus will also be tested for Zika virus.
Additional information on Zika is available on the DOH website at: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/zika_virus/

Laboratory testing is available at NYSDOH's Wadsworth Laboratories

DOH's Wadsworth Laboratories is one of only a few state public health laboratories outside of the CDC that can test for Zika virus. DOH has reached out to medical providers via health advisories and informational messages to educate them on how to diagnose Zika virus, and how to submit samples to Wadsworth for testing. DOH will continue its outreach to medical providers.
Only one in five people infected with Zika virus will get sick, with the most common symptoms being fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. There is currently no vaccine to prevent infection or medicine to treat Zika virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zik...el-information).
Pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Pregnant women who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip:

• Dress in long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active
• Use repellant products registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Do not overuse repellant – only apply as much as you need to provide protection
• Read and follow label directions before you use any kind of repellant

See your healthcare provider if you are pregnant and develop a fever, rash, joint pain, or red eyes within 2 weeks after traveling to a country where Zika virus cases have been reported. Be sure to tell your health care provider where you traveled.
Because specific areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing are difficult to determine and likely to change over time, CDC will update their travel notices as information becomes available. Travelers should check the CDC travel website frequently for the most up-to-date recommendations.

https://www.health.ny.gov/press/rele...zika_virus.htm

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Zika Virus

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BREAKING Health Alert on Zika Virus

The CDC has issued a Health Advisory on Zika Virus infections for returning travelers from Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The CDC has also issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory for those same areas. For maps of the latest affected areas, visit the websites for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Read the CDC Health Alert Network Advisory.
Read the Travel Warning for Pregnant Women (PDF) Other Languages [En Espanol] [繁體中文] [简体中文][Portugu?s] [Creole] [Fran?ais] [Русский] [정의] [বাঙালি]
Providers: Report Zika Virus infections. For more information, click here.
Read the Press Release: Deputy Mayor Palacio, Health Commissioner Bassett Update New Yorkers on City's Reponse to Zika Virus.

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Latest Facts and Advisories as of 1/28/2016:

• Reported cases of Zika in New York City: 3
  • One of the three cases was a pregnant woman;
  • All cases contracted Zika while visiting other countries; and
  • All patients have recovered.
• There is no risk of acquiring Zika in New York City.
• Mosquitos are not active during cold weather months.
• The Zika virus is not contagious. It cannot be spread by casual contact with an infected person.
• Pregnant women should consider delaying travel to affected countries until more is known.
• Pregnant women who have recently travelled to affected countries should consult with their doctor.

What the City is Doing as of 1/28/2016:

• Working closely with the CDC and the state to actively monitor the situation.
• Meeting with experts who focus on clinical implications of the virus and mosquito control strategies – including health experts in Southern States and the Caribbean – to look at their existing plans.
• Distributing the Travel Warning for Pregnant Women document, available in nine languages, to providers, elected officials, Health Department clinics, and community and faith based organizations.
• Developing a public awareness campaign around mosquito bite prevention.
  Conducting outreach to women’s health providers including OB/GYN, Pediatrics and Family Medicine facilities.
• Conducting outreach to community and faith based organizations to educate on the risks of travelling to impacted countries.
• Preparing for the start of mosquito season in April by expanding upon current mosquito control activities used to prevent West Nile Virus if Zika virus is found locally.
• Advising providers to check for symptoms of Zika virus in patients who have travelled and report cases to the Health Department.

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Virus del Zika (PDF)

What is Zika virus?
Zika is a virus spread to people through bites of infected mosquitoes.

What are the symptoms of Zika virus disease?
Up to 80% of people who are infected do not become sick. For the 20% who do become sick, the most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms begin 2 – 12 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. The illness may be mistaken for dengue virus or chikungunya virus, two other mosquito-borne diseases. No specific treatment is available but people infected with the virus may receive medications to help relieve the symptoms.

How dangerous is this disease?
The Zika virus is not contagious. It cannot be spread by casual contact with an infected person.
For those who contract the virus and are symptomatic, most people fully recover and do not need to be hospitalized. However, several months following the outbreak of Zika in Brazil, a large increase in the number of babies born with a congenital birth defect called microcephaly was observed. Microcephaly describes a baby or child with a smaller than normal head. A study is being done to see if the increase in reports of babies with microcephaly is due to an infection with Zika virus during pregnancy as this complication had not been previously reported with Zika virus. Other causes of microcephaly are also being investigated.In addition, during an outbreak in French Polynesia that caused approximately 20,000 cases, there were reports of neurologic diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome as well as central nervous system malformations in newborn babies.

Where is Zika virus found?
Outbreaks of Zika have occurred in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Because the mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world, it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries. In December 2015, Puerto Rico reported its first confirmed case of Zika virus disease. Locally transmitted Zika has not been reported elsewhere in the United States, but cases have been reported in returning travelers. For an updated list, visit the CDC website.

Are New Yorkers at risk?
New Yorkers who travel to affected areas are potentially at risk. Advice for travelers is described below. New Yorkers who do not travel to Brazil or another affected area are not currently at risk. The virus has not been identified anywhere in the continental United States. Puerto Rico recently reported a locally acquired case. The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, thought to be responsible for spreading the disease in Latin America is not found in NYC.

How can I protect myself if I travel to an affected area?
There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika virus disease. Travelers should consider visiting a travel clinic before a trip to address any other potential travel associated concerns, e.g. antimalarials, hepatitis A vaccination. When traveling to countries where Zika virus or other viruses spread by mosquitoes have been reported, protect yourself and others from this disease by taking steps to prevent mosquito bites;

• use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus and always in accordance with the label
• wear protective clothing including long sleeves and pants
• stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens
• use bed-nets if mosquitoes cannot be kept out of a residence
• eliminate standing water that collects in and around your residence

Precautions should be followed during the day and evenings as the mosquitoes that transmit these diseases are aggressive daytime and early evening biters. Please refer to the DOHMH pages onrepellents and the travel brochure. [Spanish] [Chinese]

How would New York City respond if Zika virus were found locally?
The mosquito thought to be responsible for transmitting Zika virus in Latin America is Aedes aegypti. This mosquito is not found in NYC. However, mosquito control methodologies used to prevent West Nile virus would be employed if Zika virus were found locally.
The Health Department is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify cases and keep communities informed.

How is Zika virus disease diagnosed?
Infection with the virus is diagnosed by a blood test.

How is Zika virus disease treated?
No specific treatment is available. People infected with the virus may receive medications to help relieve their symptoms. People who have the virus should stay indoors or wear protective clothing and mosquito repellent for three to five days after they start to feel sick. This will help prevent mosquitoes from potentially spreading the virus to other New Yorkers.

Where can I get more information about Zika virus?
For more information visit the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/...ika-virus.page