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Zika Virus Could Infect 'Thousands' of Pregnant Women in Puerto Rico, CDC Chief Warns
By GILLIAN MOHNEY Jun 17, 2016, 11:59 AM ET
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"In the coming months, it is possible that thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico may be infected with Zika," Frieden told reporters today. "This could lead to dozens or hundreds [of infants] born with microcephaly in the coming year."
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The CDC is also seeing increasing rates of Zika-infected blood in blood donation centers in Puerto Rico, Frieden said. However, since the blood is being screened, Frieden said there was almost no risk that donated blood would lead to further Zika infections.
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Currently he said 1.1 percent of donated blood has been found to be infected with the Zika virus, but that he anticipates in the general population of Puerto Rico the rate of Zika infection is higher. As a result of these increasing infection rates a pregnant woman would have a "significant" risk of contracting the virus in Puerto Rico, Frieden said.
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Since there is no ongoing transmission of the Zika virus in the continental United States, Frieden said that blood centers are screening potential donors by asking about their travel history rather than directly testing the blood. Blood donation centers in the U.S. do have access to the test used in Puerto Rico to identify Zika-tainted blood donation, but only one center is currently using the technology, Frieden said.
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Frieden said that based on studies in other countries, early information indicates that pregnant women who have a Zika infection in their first trimester may have up to a 15 percent chance of having a child with microcephaly.
...
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/zika-v...-pregnant-women-puerto-rico/story?id=39931442
By GILLIAN MOHNEY Jun 17, 2016, 11:59 AM ET
...
"In the coming months, it is possible that thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico may be infected with Zika," Frieden told reporters today. "This could lead to dozens or hundreds [of infants] born with microcephaly in the coming year."
...
The CDC is also seeing increasing rates of Zika-infected blood in blood donation centers in Puerto Rico, Frieden said. However, since the blood is being screened, Frieden said there was almost no risk that donated blood would lead to further Zika infections.
...
Currently he said 1.1 percent of donated blood has been found to be infected with the Zika virus, but that he anticipates in the general population of Puerto Rico the rate of Zika infection is higher. As a result of these increasing infection rates a pregnant woman would have a "significant" risk of contracting the virus in Puerto Rico, Frieden said.
...
Since there is no ongoing transmission of the Zika virus in the continental United States, Frieden said that blood centers are screening potential donors by asking about their travel history rather than directly testing the blood. Blood donation centers in the U.S. do have access to the test used in Puerto Rico to identify Zika-tainted blood donation, but only one center is currently using the technology, Frieden said.
...
Frieden said that based on studies in other countries, early information indicates that pregnant women who have a Zika infection in their first trimester may have up to a 15 percent chance of having a child with microcephaly.
...
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/zika-v...-pregnant-women-puerto-rico/story?id=39931442