Virus 'Spreading Explosively' In Americas Reported In N.J.

A woman recently visiting N.J. from Colombia became the state’s first confirmed case of the Zika illness, a virus that one health official said is spreading ”explosively” across the Americas.

The news comes as U.S. officials are urging travelers to Latin America, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico, especially pregnant women, to take precautions to protect themselves from contracting the mosquito-borne virus that can cause birth defects.

The Zika virus outbreak is ongoing in 21 countries, including Mexico and Puerto Rico.

The woman contracted the virus in her home country before becoming ill while visiting Bergen County. She was hospitalized for a few days in November and made a full recovery before returning to Colombia, according to the N.J. Department of Health.

The woman’s case of Zika was confirmed by lab tests from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Dec. 23, according to the health department.

The woman apparently was briefly visiting relatives at the time of the Thanksgiving holiday and works in Colombia, the health department said, so there should be no risk to the N.J. public.

Officials from the World Health Organization said Thursday that the Zika virus was “spreading explosively” in the Americas, saying they plan to convene an emergency meeting on Monday to decide whether to declare a public health emergency, according to The New York Times.

“The level of alarm is extremely high,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, the director general of the W.H.O., in a speech in Geneva that was quoted in The New York Times.

Zika-affected countries also include Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

The alerts follows reports in Brazil of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. More studies are planned to learn more about the risks of Zika virus infection during pregnancy, according to the CDC.

The CDC says it will update this travel notice as information becomes available.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Four in five people who acquire Zika infection may have no symptoms. Illness from Zika is usually mild and does not require hospitalization.

President Obama on Tuesday called for accelerated development of vaccines, tests and treatments for the virus. Airlines have been offering refunds to passengers in countries affected by the Zika virus outbreak.

Rutgers University also provided an extensive question-and-answer story on the subject..click here for more.

Travelers are strongly urged to protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or IR3535. Always use as directed.
• Insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 are safe for pregnant and nursing women and children older than 2 months when used according to the product label. Oil of lemon eucalyptus products should not be used on children under 3 years of age.
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents).
• Stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms.