The Zika virus has almost totally retreated in Georgia, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But authorities warn that Zika is still infecting people in some parts of the world and people need to be vigilant, especially pregnant women or women who may become pregnant.
Zika can cause birth defects in children, such as microcephaly, a condition marked by a small brain.
The virus can be spread through mosquito bites, sex, in pregnancy from mother to child, and blood transfusions. No blood transfusion cases have been confirmed in the United States, according to the CDC. Some reported in Brazil are under investigation.
In Georgia this year so far, there has been just one confirmed case with symptoms. That’s a welcome plunge from 107 last year.
Even in the U.S. though, Zika is far from gone. Florida this year has reported 63 cases. That's a big chunk of the 311 cases in the U.S. overall for 2016.
Almost all of the nation’s 311 cases —307 of them — occurred in travelers returning from affected areas. The CDC recommends heightened vigilance for babies born to mothers with exposure to Zika, even if the babies don’t yet show symptoms. The vigilance includes exams for the baby’s eye function and monitoring for difficulty breathing and swallowing.
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