Hawaii Reports First Zika Virus in the US

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The United States has reported its first case of Zika virus. A baby born in Oahu, Hawaii tested positive for the virus, an ABC News report confirmed.

Health officials allayed fears, saying there is no risk of Zika transmission in Hawaii. However, reports showed the virus had infected at least six people in other countries since 2014.

"The mother likely had Zika infection when she was residing in Brazil in May 2015 and her newborn acquired the infection in the womb...Neither the baby nor the mother [is] infectious, and there was never a risk of transmission in Hawaii," CNN quoted the Hawaii Department of Health.

Common symptoms of the virus include fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, and headache. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said these symptoms can last up to a week. The virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which is the same insect that passes the dengue and chikungunya, CDC added. This mosquito normally lives in tropical and subtropical areas and lays eggs in buckets with water, vases, and pots. This mosquito also prefers to bite humans and is active during daytime.

Recently, the mosquito-borne Zika virus has been associated with microcephaly. CNN said cases of congenital brain tumor in Brazil rapidly increased to 3,500 from 147 cases in 2014; at least 46 babies have also died. According to health officials, this growing number might be due to pregnant women getting infected by the virus.

CDC has urged pregnant women to postpone travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant who are travelling to the areas must seek their doctor's advice and follow rules on how to avoid mosquito bites during their trip. 

Here are the countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Venezuela. 

According to CDC, the virus can be transmitted by the mother to child during the time of delivery but that is quite rare. Passing the virus during pregnancy is still being investigated. On the other hand, transmission through breastfeeding has not yet been reported. But Zika virus transmission through blood transfusion and sexual contact have been reported.

To date, there is still no vaccine available for the infection. But CDC advises people with Zika symptoms to:

- Get plenty of rest

- Drink fluids to prevent dehydration

- Take medicines, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain

- Avoid Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen, until dengue is ruled out.

For more information about the Zika virus, check out this video below: