News Release
October 3, 2016
The Texas Department of State
Health Services today issued a health alert encouraging health care providers
in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties to consider Zika
virus infection in their patients and order testing as medically indicated.
DSHS recommends
testing pregnant women who live in this area and have at least two of the four most common Zika
symptoms – fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (eye redness) – regardless
of their travel history or other risk factors. In line with current testing
criteria, DSHS continues to recommend testing anyone with at least three of those symptoms statewide and
all pregnant women who have traveled to an area with active Zika transmission,
regardless of symptoms.
There have been no
reported cases of Zika transmitted in Texas, but the Rio Grande Valley is considered to be
at higher risk for Zika transmission because of previous outbreaks of dengue, a
similar virus spread by the same type of mosquito.
“We
don’t have any evidence that the virus is being transmitted by mosquitoes in
Texas, but as Zika continues to spread in the Western Hemisphere, now is the time
to increase our surveillance,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of DSHS.
“Doctors should be looking for Zika in their patients, and everyone should be
taking personal precautions to prevent Zika infection.”
People
can help prevent the spread of Zika by mosquito bite by:
- Using EPA-approved insect repellent every time
they go outside.
- Wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts that
cover exposed skin.
- Using air conditioning or window and door
screens that are in good repair to keep mosquitoes out of the home.
- Removing standing water in and around homes,
including water in trash cans, toys, tires, flower pots and any other container
that can hold water.
Because of the
risk of birth defects associated with Zika, pregnant women should consider
delaying travel to areas where the virus is being spread and prevent sexual
transmission by avoiding unprotected sexual contact with partners who have
traveled to places with active Zika transmission.
Texas has had 218 reported
Zika cases, all related to travel, including two cases transmitted via sexual contact
with someone infected overseas and two infants who were infected before birth.
The health alert is
available at www.dshs.texas.gov/news/releases/2016/zika-health-alert.aspx. Additional
information for health care providers and the public is available at www.TexasZika.org.
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(News Media Contact: Chris
Van Deusen, DSHS Press Officer, 512-776-7753)
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