Oakland County Health Division urges pregnant women not to travel to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro due to the ongoing Zika virus outbreak, County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said Tuesday. The 2016 Summer Olympics begins next week and runs through Aug. 21.
"We're cautioning Oakland County residents about the risks of Zika virus especially for pregnant women and their babies," Patterson said. "Zika virus has been tied to health complications in babies whose mothers were exposed to the disease."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends special precautions for the following groups regarding travel to the Olympics:
- Women who are pregnant:
-Do not go to the Olympics.
-Those who must go should talk to a healthcare provider before traveling, follow steps to prevent mosquito bites, and use condoms or do not have sex during the trip.
- Women who are trying to become pregnant:
-Before a woman or her male partner travel, they should talk to a healthcare provider about their plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection.
-Consult CDC guidance regarding how long to wait before trying to get pregnant after traveling to the Olympics (http://bit.ly/28ZRXwh).
-A woman and her male partner should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
- Men who go to the Olympics and have a pregnant partner should use condoms or not have sex during the pregnancy.
"Pregnant women and their unborn infants are at greater risk for developing complications from Zika virus, including microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects," said George Miller, director of Oakland County's Department of Health and Human Services. "We are strongly recommending if you are pregnant to avoid traveling to the Olympics. If you are not pregnant and must travel, talk to your healthcare provider before traveling and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip."
If you are not pregnant and must travel to the Olympics in Brazil, follow these tips to protect yourself from mosquito bites during your travel and when you return:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellant. All EPA-registered insect repellants are evaluated for safety and effectiveness. Always follow the product label instructions.
- Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- Avoid outdoor activities when mosquitoes are most active.
- Avoid areas where mosquitoes may be present.
- Maintain window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of buildings. Do not prop open doors.
- Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by removing standing water.
Zika virus is mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected from biting a person already infected with the disease. Infected mosquitos can then spread Zika to other people through bites. Transmission can also occur from a pregnant mother to her baby during pregnancy or around the time of birth. Zika virus can be spread by a man to his sex partner(s).
Zika can cause microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. There is no vaccine or specific medicine to treat Zika virus infections. Most people infected with Zika virus may not realize they have been infected or have mild symptoms lasting for several days to one week. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
For up-to-date information contact the Oakland County Health Division's Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 or by email at noc@oakgov.com. For up-to-date information regarding CDC's travel notice for the 2016 Summer Olympics, visit http://bit.ly/1pdHpBn. For public health information, visit www.oakgov.com/health or find Public Health Oakland on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @publichealthOC.
Published: Thu, Jul 28, 2016
