CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Here is everything you need to know about the Zika virus:
How You Catch It:
Zika virus is transmitted through the bite of an infectious mosquito.
Symptoms:
Common symptoms: rash and red eyes.
Less common symptoms: fever, joint pains, and muscle aches.
Only about one in five people infected with Zika virus will show symptoms.
Zika and Pregnancy:
The Zika virus is extremely dangerous to babies during pregnancy.
A pregnant woman infected with Zika virus can pass the virus to her unborn baby.
A serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly, and other outcomes have been reported in some mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant.
If You Are Pregnant:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel advisory recommending pregnant women consider postponing travel to any area with active Zika virus transmission.
Women who are trying to become pregnant should talk to their doctors about the risk of Zika virus infection before traveling to Central America, South America or the Caribbean.
To Protect Against Zika:
Wear insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Use air conditioning or make sure window and door screens are in place.
North Carolina:
To date, no cases of Zika virus infection have been reported in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging all North Carolinians to be aware of the risk of Zika virus infection before traveling to Central America, South America or the Caribbean.
For more information about Zika virus, click here.
