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157 pregnant women in the US monitored for Zika: CDC – Metro US

157 pregnant women in the US monitored for Zika: CDC

157 pregnant women in the US monitored for Zika: CDC
USDA/Stephen AusmusPhoto:

More than 150 pregnant women in the United States have tested positive for theZika virus, NRP reported.

That’s in addition to more than 120 women affected by Zika in U. S. territories, mainly Puerto Rico, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Zika, linked to numerous cases of the birth defect micocephaly in Brazil, is spreading rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Related: City launches action plan to prevent spread of Zika virus to New Yorkers

So far, officials say they are aware of fewer than a dozen pregnancies that have had complications, although many of the pregnancies are ongoing.

The Zika virus is primarily spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. Most people only deal with mild reactions to the virus, according to the CDC.
Among the 157 pregnant women from U. S. states and the District of Columbia who are being monitored, only 49 percent reported symptoms consistent with Zika, mostly rash and fever, according to NPR.