Two New Zika Cases Confirmed in Louisiana
Two Louisiana residents who recently traveled to the Caribbean and South America were found to have had the Zika virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has told the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals that neither person still has sympsoms, and the virus was confirmed after they had already recovered.
Four Louisiana residents have come down with the Zika virus, which health officials say is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. There have been a couple of cases, one of them in Texas, where it's been transmitted to other people sexually.
Health officials urge you to avoid infection by taking steps to protect yourself from mosquito bites, like wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants while outside during the early-morning and after-dark hours, and using EPA-approved insect repellant containing DEET.
Pregnant women are at greater risk from Zika virus, because it could lead to certain birth defects in their babies. Pregnant women are cautioned to avoid traveling to areas where the virus is most prevalent.
CDC has released new maps of the United States showing where the two species of mosquitoes that are associated with Zika virus transmission may be. TAKE A LOOK HERE.