Zika virus spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), but can also be spread during sex by a person infected with Zika to his or her sex partners. The risk of becoming infected with Zika virus for Minnesotans is limited to travelers who visit areas with ongoing virus transmission. The mosquito species that are known to transmit this virus are not currently found in Minnesota. In Minnesota, as of Sept. 1, there have been 45 confirmed cases of Zika, all travel associated. For an updated listing of areas that are affected please visit http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/index.html.
Many people infected with Zika won’t have symptoms, but for those who do, the illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. MDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise doctors to test for Zika in patients who have recently returned with symptoms from areas where Zika is circulating.
The primary health concern is for women who are pregnant or might become pregnant traveling to areas where Zika is currently circulating.
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