Darien Health Department recently posted this information on the town government website about the Zika virus, which isn’t in the United States but can be brought here by travelers to more tropical regions.
Aedes mosquito (Photo by Danny Steaven on Wikimedia Commons)
Currently there’s a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. You could get infected mosquitos, although infection apparently can take place from a mother to a newborn either during pregnancy or at delivery.
Those infected may not know they have it before they pass it along. It can lead to pregnant women giving birth to babies with microcephaly — unusually small skulls.
Here are a several paragraphs excerpted from the statement posted by the Health Department, all but the first paragraph here is from the federal Centers for Disease Control:
Zika Virus is currently getting a lot of media attention. At this time, there are no known cases of disease that have been contracted in the continental United States. To learn more, please review the material below.
Zika is a disease caused by Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
What are the symptoms of Zika?
About one in five people infected with Zika will get sick. For people who get sick, the illness is usually mild. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.
The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Who is at risk of being infected?
Anyone who is living in or traveling to an area where Zika virus is found who has not already been infected with Zika virus is at risk for infection, including pregnant women.
See the rest of the statement here, including information on what you should do if you believe you were infected.