The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring 157 pregnant women in the United States who may be infected with the Zika virus. It is also monitoring 122 such pregnant women in Puerto Rico. The new federal guidelines and counts include women who may not show symptoms of the virus. For example, of the 157 women in the U.S. and D.C., 88% reported rash, 49% arthralgia, 51% fever, and just 23% reported conjunctivitis. Zika virus nucleic acid detection was only reported in 25%.
From the report:
Case reports indicate that fetuses and infants of pregnant women with asymptomatic Zika virus infection might be at risk for microcephaly and other severe brain defects. Following pregnant women with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection in the surveillance system, regardless of symptoms, allows better characterization of the full impact and consequences of infection to the mother and her offspring, and might allow for better stratification of risk for adverse congenital outcomes.
[...] The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, data provided to the jurisdictions and CDC regarding symptoms and symptom onset might not be accurate or complete because of variability in recall by patients or data available to jurisdictions. Second, only pregnant women who are tested for Zika virus infection are included, thereby potentially underestimating the prevalence of infection and outcomes among all pregnant women. Finally, all states are not included in the [U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry (USZPR)], possibly affecting the representativeness of these data with regard to all pregnant women identified with a possible Zika virus infection.
The Miami Herald notes that 36 of the 157 are in Florida, quadruple the number under the old guidelines.
Future reports will include details about the outcomes of these pregnancies. The CDC will also begin posting weekly updates on the number of Zika-related pregnancy cases it is monitoring.
Previous coverage:
Why Concerns for Global Spread of Zika Means Rio de Janeiro’s 2016 Olympics Must Not Proceed
Related Stories
The Harvard Public Health Review has posted a "Special Commentary on the Zika Virus and Public Health Concerns." Amir Attaran, DPhil, LLB, MS. Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa has submitted a thought-provoking article, Off the Podium: Why Public Health Concerns for Global Spread of Zika Virus Means That Rio de Janeiro's 2016 Olympic Games Must Not Proceed.
Brazil's Zika problem is inconveniently not ending. The outbreak that began in the country's northeast has reached Rio de Janeiro, where it is flourishing. Clinical studies are also mounting that Zika infection is associated not just with pediatric microcephaly and brain damage, but also adult conditions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which are debilitating and sometimes fatal.
Simply put, Zika infection is more dangerous, and Brazil's outbreak more extensive, than scientists reckoned a short time ago. Which leads to a bitter truth: the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games must be postponed, moved, or both, as a precautionary concession. [emphasis added] There are five reasons.
[Continues...]
Zika is growing stronger in Miami, FL:
Mosquitoes have begun spreading the Zika virus in a second part of Miami — the popular tourist destination of Miami Beach — Florida officials announced Friday. As a result, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its advice to travelers, advising pregnant women to avoid the parts of Miami Beach where the virus is spreading. In addition, women and men who have traveled to the area should wait at least eight weeks to try to get pregnant even if they didn't catch Zika during their visit.
The agency also went a step further, advising pregnant women and their sexual partners "who are concerned about potential Zika virus exposure" that they "may also consider postponing nonessential travel to all parts of Miami-Dade county." That decision to issue a warning about the entire city was prompted by the agency's concern that there may be other outbreaks in other parts of Miami-Dade that haven't been identified yet, CDC Director Thomas Frieden told reporters during a briefing.
From the Governor's office:
Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has learned through one of their investigations that five individuals that have already been confirmed as cases of local transmissions of Zika are connected to the Miami Beach area. DOH believes that active transmission of this virus are only occurring in the area of Miami Beach between 8th and 28th streets (see map below). This is the second area that has been identified as a location where local transmission is occurring and is just under 1.5 square miles.
Release at the CDC.
Previously:
CDC: Up to 157 Pregnant Women in the U.S. Have Zika Virus
"High Likelihood" of Local Zika Virus Transmission in Florida
Quick Summary of Zika in the U.S.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 21 2016, @10:14PM
American Women don't care to reproduce anymore, instead choosing to focus on their careers and to advance the cause of feminism by subjugating men. Thus these 157 women are the entire pregnant population. The bad news is the next generation of Americans will be pinheads, but the good news is they won't be old enough to vote in the upcoming election cycle, so nobody cares.
(Score: 2) by physicsmajor on Saturday May 21 2016, @10:19PM
Someone's really filled with bitterness today. Your assertion is trivially disproven by a quick visit to your local hospital's delivery floor.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday May 22 2016, @02:03AM
On the bright side, precisely zero pregnant women in the US are infected with this jackass's DNA :)
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by dyingtolive on Sunday May 22 2016, @04:49AM
Cynicism intensifies!
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 4, Interesting) by physicsmajor on Saturday May 21 2016, @10:24PM
They're taking no chances here. Someone has the slightest of red eyes and they're being flagged for followup. That doesn't mean they have Zika, it means they are being watched until we know they don't. They are casting a big net, intended to catch all cases, realizing a bunch (probably well over half) of those followed don't have it.
What is relevant is the Zika nucleic acid test, and that's only been found in 25%. One quarter of 157 is still almost 40 known positives.
At this point, we watch. I sincerely feel for those in such a situation, and hope that the knowledge we gain is definitive - and in advance of the Rio games.
(Score: 2) by wonkey_monkey on Saturday May 21 2016, @11:21PM
CDC: Up to 157 Pregnant Women in the U.S. Have Zika Virus
Up to 157 pregnant woman? So possibly 0? But definitely not more than 157? That seems a strange thing to be sure/vague about.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 22 2016, @12:02AM
As it points out, it's closer to 40 cases that are probably confirmed, or the 25% that have the Zika virus nucleic acid, and thus quite likely are positive. So there's no point trying to dismiss it as "so maybe no cases at all?". But you can rest easy that their net is bigger than the problem, so to speak.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 22 2016, @12:44AM
In some newer American laws against fetal femicide, it is illegal to tell your doctor that you don't want a voodoo-headed baby, Down syndrome child, or whatever. How many unwanted children will be born with this lifelong, life-limiting problem, and end up as wards on the state?
(Score: 2) by bitstream on Sunday May 22 2016, @04:37AM
Those that know to make use of traveling can easily duck such issues. The way to evaluate if there's really any care is to study how they treat persons already having physical problems and no support network. Or at least if whatever entity is willing to fund all bills for all the care that will be needed.