Dangerous pathogen Zika virus arrived in New York

Arrived in the US: Three people in New York tested positive for Zika virus
The dangerous Zika virus, which has long been spreading in Central and South American countries, has now arrived in the United States. As announced, three people in New York have been tested positive for the pathogen. The victims were previously in vulnerable areas.
Travel warning for pregnant women
Recently, US health officials warned that pregnant women should not travel to Latin America at the moment. The reason for this is the current spread of a dangerous pathogen in several countries in the region: The Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can probably be transmitted to the unborn child and lead to serious neonatal cranial malformations. In Brazil alone, over 3,500 children with malformations have been born in recent months, which are linked to an infection with the Zika virus. Now the pathogen has been detected in the US.

Dangerous virus arrived in New York. Image: decade3d - fotolia

Three people in New York tested positive for virus
According to a news agency AFP, three people in New York have tested positive for the Zika virus. As the New York Public Health Department announced on Friday, patients have all recently traveled to areas where the virus is currently spread. One of the patients has already recovered completely and the other two are on the way to recovery. Authorities in the US advise expectant mothers to travel to 22 regions in South America and the Caribbean where the Zika virus occurs.

Pathogen is not deadly
The pathogen is not fatal and leads according to health experts in about 20 percent of infected people to flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and sometimes rash. The virus is also blamed for thousands of cases of microcephaly in babies. The children are born with an unusually small head, which can lead to brain malformations. However, it is not clear that the virus is the cause. (Ad)