Zika Virus Spreading Rapidly In U.S., Level Of Alarm Now 'Extremely High'

World Health Organization officials are meeting on Monday to determine if the fast-spreading Zika Virus has reached a point where a public health emergency should be declared, according to multiple reports.

The county is larviciding to eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes who can carry the West Nile Virus.
Photo Credit: *File photo*

Joe Jenkins

01/28/2016 10:30 a.m.

Officials said the virus is spreading explosively in the Americas and as many as 3-4 million people could be exposed to it in the next 12 months, according to The New York Times.

To date, 23 countries have reported cases, including the United States, The Washington Post said. Thirty one cases have been reported nation wide in 11 states, including one case in the Hudson Valley.

The illness can cause microcephaly, a condition associated with Zika virus that can cause mental retardation in unborn children.

One of the biggest challenges in containing the Zika Virus is that it shows no symptoms in up to 75 percent of infected patients, the Washington Post reported.

Click here to read the Washington Post article.

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