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Health Alert: ZIKA Virus

Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.

In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes.

In response, CDC has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

If you are pregnant and have traveled to any of these countries, please let Martha’s Vineyard Hospital staff know. For more information go to http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html and read more at Vineyard Gazette

• America Samos
• Barbados
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Cape Verde
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Curacao
• Dominican Republic
• Guadeloupe
• Guatemala
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• French Guyana
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Jamaica
• Martinique
• Mexico
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Puerto Rico
• Samoa
• St. Martin
• Suriname
• Tonga
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Venezuela