The Latest On Zika: New Countries Are Added To The CDC's Watch List

On Monday the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added four countries and territories to its growing list of places with active Zika virus transmissions, which means that the cases occurred locally, rather than in travelers returning from a place where they acquired the virus. So far, no local cases of Zika have been reported in the United States.  The virus, which is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is strongly suspected to be linked to a new wave of microcephaly cases in Brazil. Babies born with the birth defect have smaller heads and brains that aren't fully developed, which can result in life-long developmental problems.    With the high volume of news about the Zika virus, it's tough to stay up-to-date. Check out our full coverage, or read our daily recaps. Here's the latest information you should know as of Tuesday afternoon:  1. Brazil's health minister says the outbreak is worse than expected. "Eighty percent of the people infected by Zika do not develop significant symptoms," Marcelo Castro, Brazil's health minister, told Reuters. "A large number of people have the virus with no symptoms, so the situation is more serious that we can imagine." Local governments in Brazil will be required to report Zika cases next week, after they have the proper lab equipment for testing. The Brazilian government said there is no chance that the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be called off because of the outbreak. ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news