Another CT Zika Virus Case Confirmed, State Issues Travel Advisory

HARTFORD, CT - The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is urging residents, particularly pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant, to avoid traveling to Puerto Rico and other countries that have been affected by Zika virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zika is expected to infect roughly 700,000 people on the island of Puerto Rico by the end of the year.

"With a large Puerto Rican community in Connecticut, and sizable populations from other Zika-affected countries, coupled with daily flights to Puerto Rico and other countries from Bradley and airports in neighboring states, travelers should protect themselves from the virus by taking steps to prevent mosquito bites," DPH officials wrote in a statement. "When traveling to countries where Zika virus or other viruses spread by mosquitoes have been reported, use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens."

Danbury resident Sara Mujica has been confirmed as one of the latest cases of Zika in Connecticut, according to officials. The pregnant 17-year-old was diagnosed at Danbury Hospital and is the state's first confirmed case of a pregnant woman. Mujica told Patch that she contracted the virus when she was bitten by a mosquito during a recent trip to Honduras to visit her fiancée.

And Thursday night, another Zika case, Connecticut's fourth since March, was confirmed, reports WFSB-TV. This one involves a woman in her 30s who traveled from the Caribbean to Connecticut late last month.

“With no vaccine or antiviral drug currently available to prevent infection or protect a developing fetus, it is imperative that women in any trimester of pregnancy, women who are planning to become pregnant, and their male sexual partner follow recommendations for prevention,” added DPH Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino. “Women who are pregnant should not travel to areas with Zika. If you must travel to one of these areas, talk to your healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip. With hundreds of positive cases nationwide, I encourage residents to be vigilant. We at the state level are monitoring the situation with the utmost diligence.”

To date, 426 cases of travel-related Zika have been reported in the continental United States, according to the DPH. Of those, 36 were pregnant women and eight were sexually transmitted. In Connecticut, 245 patients, including 217 pregnant women, have been tested for Zika virus, officials added.

Zika virus is spread to people primarily through mosquito bites, though it can also spread from men to women through sexual transmission. While illness is usually mild, the possible link with birth defects and miscarriages makes prevention of infection among pregnant women essential. To avoid infections in pregnant women recommendations include:

1) Postponing travel to areas where Zika virus is circulating among mosquitoes

2) Adopting precautions to avoid mosquito bites if travel is necessary

3) Men who travel to affected areas should abstain from sexual activity with a pregnant partner, or use condoms, for the duration of the pregnancy

Patch file photo