Delaware Public Health reports two new Zika cases as sex partner guidelines are updated

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Zika Virus Research
Zika research. NIAID via Foter.com / CC

The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) updated its guidelines for sexual transmission of the Zika virus following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announcement of the first reported case of female to male sexual transmission in New York. 

DPH also reported two new travel-related cases in Delaware.

A Sussex County woman and a New Castle County man tested positive for the Zika virus, bringing the total number of cases in Delaware to 10.

 All of the Zika positive test results are due to a mosquito bite while traveling abroad and none involve a pregnancy.  Both individuals were tested within the last few weeks.

 Zika is spread primarily through a mosquito bite, but also can be sexually transmitted or passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy. CDC recommends that all pregnant women who have a sex partner who has traveled to, or resides in, an area with Zika use barrier methods every time they have sex or, they should not have sex during the pregnancy.

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Although no cases of woman-to-woman Zika transmission have been reported, these recommendations now also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women.

Condoms or dental dams should be used during oral sex and condoms should be used for sex involving penetration. Sex includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex, and may also include the sharing of sex toys.

A total of 145 individuals have been or are in the process of being, tested in Delaware. At this time, there are 121 negative results, 10 positive results, 11 test results pending and two indeterminate results in pregnant females. 

Both individuals with indeterminate results were traveling or living abroad this past winter.  To protect patient privacy, DPH will not announce any other information on the status of the pregnancies. Consistent with other states, DPH will announce any Zika-related microcephaly cases after a birth should it occur.

According to the CDC, there are 1,404 confirmed cases of Zika virus in the United States and District of Columbia as of July 20.

While no Zika cases have been confirmed to be from a mosquito bite that occurred in the continental U.S., Florida public health officials and the CDC are investigating two Zika cases that may have occurred due to a mosquito bite in that state.

Zika, a mild illness, has been linked to serious birth defects in Brazil and other countries and is most often spread by mosquitoes.

About one in five people infected with the virus develop the disease, and most people who are infected do not develop symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

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