New York – Orange County Resident Tests Positive For Zika Virus

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    New York – An Orange County resident who recently traveled to South America has tested positive for the Zika virus, the county’s Department of Health announced on Tuesday.

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    Two other cases, in Queens and Nassau counties, were confirmed by the state Department of Health on Friday. Officials say one of the patients is fully recovered and the two others are recovering without complications.

    All of the cases were acquired abroad, officials said.

    “There is virtually no risk of acquiring Zika virus in this region or even in the state,” said Dr. Eli Avila, Orange County’s commissioner of health.

    Zika virus is acquired through a bite from an infected mosquito and cannot be spread by casual person-to-person contact. According to the CDC, there has been one report of possible spread of the virus through blood transfusion and one report of possible spread of the virus through sexual contact.

    Symptoms are usually very mild, and many people might not even realize they’ve 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. Such cases can leave affected newborns with unusually small heads and abnormal brain development.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its warning for pregnant women thinking of visiting 22 destinations, most in Latin America and the Caribbean.


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