First case of Zika virus confirmed in MA: What you need to know

January 29, 2016 7:46 am

By Ana Bottary

abottary@abc6.com

@anabottary

Zika virus has been spreading across Central and South America over the past year. Now, Massachusetts and Boston officials have confirmed the state’s first case of Zika virus. 31 other people here in the U.S. have also contracted it after traveling outside the country.

For the typical adult, the virus is not a big deal, and only one in five people show symptoms. But for women who are pregnant or want to become pregnant, the virus can cause serious repercussions.

"What is very alarming is that they have associated it with several cases of microcephaly, which is an abnormally small head in babies who are born to woman who are infected with the virus," says Dr. Michael Smit with Hasbro Childrens Hospital.

Dr. Smit says microcephaly affects the way the babies’ brains develops, causing developmental delays, or even death.

"Right now, what they think is that you have to be bitten by a mosquito that has been infected by biting another person who is infected," says Dr. Smit.

The virus-carrying mosquito is a certain kind that’s unlikely to make its way to the United States because they cannot survive in this part of the country.

Common symptoms include a fever, rash, joint pain, and pink eye.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel alert for pregnant woman in 24 countries, mostly in the Caribbean and Latin America areas. It’s something the Rhode Island Department of Health is strongly suggesting pregnant women follow.

"If it’s not an urgent or necessary travel, and you are pregnant, it might be something that you could consider waiting on, or going some place else," says Director of the R.I. Department of Health, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.

The CDC has released a list of Countries and territories with active Zika virus transmission, and are suggesting pregnant woman not to travel to. Those include: