Recent reports about the spread of the Zika virus in Latin American and Caribbean countries have made many people, especially pregnant women, feel more scared of travelling to those countries. The Centers for Disease Control Prevention or CDC officials are also debating whether to issue a public warning for pregnant women not to travel to specific countries that are deemed "affected by the contagious Zika virus."
According to The New York Times, the Zika virus, being spread through mosquito bites, might cause brain damage in newborn babies. Pregnant women, who acquire the said virus during the first trimester of pregnancy, seem to be more at risk of giving birth to babies with microcephaly or babies with smaller heads and damaged brains.
"Local transmission of Zika virus has been found in 14 Western Hemisphere countries and territories: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Suriname and Venezuela," as stated in the article.
If the CDC goes through with the public warning, it would be the first time in the history of the institute to advise against the travel of pregnant women in those identified countries. "We can't make these decisions in a vacuum," said CDC spokesman Thomas Skinner in a report. "We're consulting with other experts outside."
As of today, there is still no available vaccine to prevent the acquisition of the Zika virus disease. The CDC shared some tips that pregnant women can adopt to prevent mosquito bites that spread the Zika virus -- usually occurring at daytime.
The tips to prevent mosquito bites include the application of sunscreen and insect repellent on the body; treating clothes with permethrin or wearing permethrin-treated clothes; wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, if the weather permits; and of course, making sure that the windows and doors are always closed to keep mosquitoes out and that there is no stagnant water around.
