First Californian Infected with Zika Virus Already Recovered in LA County
Amid the surge of concern for the recent outbreak of the mosquito born Zika Virus, California has seen its first case of the virus come and go.
An adolescent girl who had traveled to El Salvador in November of last year came down with what is now being recognized as Zika Virus. The teenage girl was not pregnant, as pregnancy is a point of concern with Zika Virus, as it can lead to a baby’s brain being underdeveloped.
The outbreak began in Brazil in April of last year and has spread north through South and Central America. No transmissions have happened in the United States yet, all cases were contracted abroad.
On the plus side for Californians, the vector species of mosquitoes have a very limited distribution in the state. The two species of Aedes mosquitos are more prevalent in the southern states. Health officials estimate that the Zika Virus could finish spreading across the Americas by the end of the year.
Multiple airlines have begun offering refunds to the families of pregnant women who had travel plans to affected areas.
More on the Zika Virus can be found here and here.
Image Credit: Flickr User TurkleTom, https://flic.kr/p/7Z5Nxt via (CC BY 2.0)
