Zika Virus Update: 9 Canadians , 1 Florida Resident Infected
Health scares are ravaging all around the world especially after it was reported on Wednesday that nine Canadians have been infected with the Zika virus while one resident from Brevard County, Florida, has also contracted the disease.
According to CBC Canada News, Health Minister Jane Philpott confirmed that the cases have increased to nine, though she clarified that the virus did not come from the town itself. "We can assume that they were most likely mosquito-borne, but they were all contracted [outside] the country, not local transmission," she explained.
Since Philpott said the infected people couldn't possibly get the disease through local transmission, the question about sexual transmission was raised. However, Philpott could not confirm the possibility immediately.
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As Brazil and Colombia have done earlier in the year, Philpott also stressed the importance of taking precautions during travels abroad. She also warned women from getting pregnant until the health issue gets resolved. Her warning resonates the previous reports from Brazil that there is a connection between Zika and the birth of babies with microcephaly.
A rare birth defect that is now becoming a trend among pregnant women in Brazil and Colombia, microcephaly is a case wherein newborn babies come out of the womb with unusually small heads and developmental problems that could last for a long time.
Meanwhile, Florida Today reports that the local Health Department has confirmed a Brevard County case of the virus, which is believed to have been contracted during a trip to Haiti.
Efforts to stop or at least minimize the spread of Zika in the state are rolling out in the form of demonstrations on how to properly dispose mosquito-producing containers and leaflets that provide a better understanding of the virus.
Government workers are also trying to lessen the breeding grounds of mosquitoes by removing waste tire piles that could possibly house the insects. The virus is fast-approaching the north as eight other Florida counties have reported cases including Miami-Dade with seven cases, Broward, Hillsborough, and more.
