The Division of Public Health says there are now two more Zika virus cases in the state of Delaware - raising the total to three.
The new cases - like the first announced last month - are related to travel to one of the countries where Zika is widespread. They are also the result of a mosquito bite. One involves an adult male who showed symptoms after traveling in January. The other case is an adult female, who isn’t pregnant, and showed symptoms after traveling in early March.
DPH says both cases were mild and a risk of infection to others is extremely low.
The first case also involved an adult woman who is not pregnant.
The Zika virus is primarily spread by mosquito bite. It can also be spread from a mother to her infant during pregnancy, though experts say it’s not clear how often the virus is transmitted to the child. In very rare cases, Zika can be transmitted sexually. The virus does not remain in the blood for longer than a week, but it’s not known how long it stays in other bodily fluids.
Symptoms of Zika can begin two to seven days after being bitten by a mosquito. In adults, the most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes. One of the greatest concerns is the link between the virus and serious birth defects in infants whose mothers contracted the virus while pregnant.
DPH advises pregnant women or women who may get pregnant to postpone travel to countries where ZIKA virus transmission is ongoing. And those who have traveled to those countries should see a healthcare provider out of caution.
According to the CDC, there are almost 260 travel-related Zika cases in the U.S., six of which were contracted sexually.
