Thursday 8 September 2016

Zika Traveling Tips: Some Issues To Consider

Updated, 7/29 at 11:00 AM: Florida officials confirmed that at least four cases of the Zika virus in the state are likely the result of mosquito-borne transmission. 

In a span of 13 months, a relatively unknown virus morphed into a global health emergency thanks to a pest less than four millimeters wide.
The Pan American Health Organization reports more than 50,000 people in the Western Hemisphere are infected with the Zika virus. The primary mode of transmission is by mosquitoes — the Aedes aegypti, to be precise — and its relative the Aedes albopictus. But the virus can also be transmitted sexually.
For most, the illness causes flu-like symptoms. It has also been connected to Guillain–Barré Syndrome, which is marked by muscle weakness in the arms and legs, and sometimes severe nerve damage and even paralysis.
Pregnant women are considered especially at risk of the threat, because Zika can cause severe birth defects, such as microcephaly.
So far, no cases of locally transmitted Zika infection have been reported in the U.S. But, with summer vacations on many people’s minds, here is a breakdown of what travelers should know about where the virus is most likely to circulate and how the risks could affect travel plans.
What is the normal season for these mosquitoes?
The Aedes aegypti mosquito thrives in hot, humid, tropical climates. This is why, in the U.S., states such as Texas and Florida are expected to be among the hardest hit. Meanwhile, one study found more than 22 million people live in areas of the country where the Aedes mosquito can thrive all year.
But these pests are also not immune to changing weather patterns.
Dr. Jean-Paul Mutebi, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention entomologist and researcher, said the bug seldom survives in temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit and elevations above 6,500 feet. Temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit also keep the pests at bay.
Experts note, though, that mosquitoes generally follow the seasons’ temperature fluctuations. Their numbers rise in the spring and reach their peak in the summer, then dwindle in autumn until they die in the winter. In tropical conditions, the mosquitoes can live all year round.
This means travelers need to be conscious of the weather patterns in their destinations to determine the Zika risk they could face.
Where have the outbreaks occurred so far this season and what areas are expected to be hard hit?
Forty countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere have locally transmitted Zika, according to the latest report from the Pan American Health Organization. The CDC also is tracking Zika virus activity.
The Zika HealthMap, an online disease tracker created by Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard School of Medicine, shows the number of Zika cases in South America are concentrated in areas along the equator and near a coast, like western Colombia and eastern Brazil.
Countries such as Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay that have areas with consistently warm weather and are beginning their dry seasons will likely see fewer mosquitoes, said Mauricio Santillana, faculty member at Boston Children’s Hospital and HealthMap lead researcher. In some such locations, the number of cases are already declining, based on WHO data.
Meanwhile, some countries entering their wet, rainy season, such as Panama and Dominica, are reporting lower case numbers than expected. However, Santillana said some Caribbean countries, such as Martinique and Jamaica, are experiencing erratic rates of infection.
Meanwhile, some countries entering their wet, rainy season, such as Panama and Dominica, are reporting lower case numbers than expected. However, Santillana said some Caribbean countries, such as Martinique and Jamaica, are experiencing erratic rates of infection.
Though no cases have yet been locally transmitted in the continental U.S., New York, Florida and Texas have reported the highest tallies of travel-associated cases, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico has reported nearly 2,000 locally acquired cases.

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