© 2024 WGLT
A public service of Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Two Illinois Women Have Zika Virus

Two pregnant women from Illinois have tested positive for the Zika virus after traveling in Honduras and Haiti. The Illinois Department of Public Health says doctors are monitoring the women's health and their pregnancies. The virus is spread through mosquito bites and there's no risk of person-to-person spread. Outbreaks have been reported in parts of the Caribbean and Latin America. In Brazil, there's evidence linking the infection to a serious birth defect in which the brain and head are smaller than normal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says doctors should ask pregnant women about their travel and certain symptoms, and, if warranted, test them for Zika. The CDC has recommended that pregnant women consider postponing trips to outbreak regions until more is known.
 

Related Content