The Division of Public Health is trying to prevent anyone from getting the Zika virus, but it’s focusing on pregnant women, starting with a Zika-prevention kit that will be available at WIC clinics and most healthcare facilities.
The state is also asking doctors to inquire with every patient about travel history, according to Dr. AweleMadukaEzeh, medical director for Delaware’s Division of Public Health.
“If you don’t know that the pregnant woman sitting in front of you with a rash has been to South America there is no way to know that this is Zika. So we’re trying to change the way people relate with their patients,” Ezeh said.
The virus is spread by mosquitoes in tropical climates and can be sexually transmitted. Symptoms are generally mild but Zika is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it’s been linked to birth defects.
The Division of Public Health has begun a registry for pregnant women who may have been exposed to Zika and their babies. The division will track the children over time and watch for abnormalities.
All the state’s Zika prevention information is available in both Creole and Spanish to serve the state’s Haitian and Hispanic populations, which are most likely to travel to areas where Zika is actively transmitted.
The state has completed 75 Zika tests, with three travel-related positives. 16 tests are pending.
