Things You Need To Know About The Zika Virus

Zika virus continues to spread across Latin America and the Pacific island nations. People have constantly been worried after it has hit Florida and some parts of the continental U.S. As a result, various questions rose regarding the effects and impacts of the mosquito-borne virus.

For the symptoms, Safe Travel says that most people who get infected by the Zika virus do not show any symptoms. Only one in five people who get it will feel sick. The symptoms will be felt 3 to 12 days after getting the infection and last about 4 to 7 days.

More specific symptoms include:

low-grade fever (between 37.8°C and 38.5°C)
joint pain, notably of small joints of hands and feet, with possible swollen joints
muscle pain
headache
red eyes
rash

Because of the ongoing and increasing concerns related to Zika, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have given updated recommendations and answers to common questions.

For those people who have been infected by Zika, CDC says that the body can clear the virus eventually not like the other viruses such as herpes, AIDS and HIV.

However, women who have been infected must see the doctor right away, be tested regularly and have their pregnancy carefully monitored. If not, it can cause birth defects to their babies like microcephaly. This results to a child having a head smaller than normal because the brain itself is badly damaged. Other defects include eye abnormalities, hearing defects and other brain damage.

World Health Organization (WHO) also advises that people should wait for six months to try for a pregnancy if the male partner had symptoms of Zika.

"Men and women of reproductive age living in affected areas should be informed and oriented to consider delaying pregnancy," WHO added.

CDC clarifies that not all mosquitoes carry Zika. It's the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that carry the virus. NBC News explains that it takes days for the virus to build up enough in the mosquito's body for the insect to transmit the virus to someone else.

Because Zika is spreading rapidly in certain places, people from different parts of the world should take the strongest precaution which includes using repellents such as DEET, covering up, and staying inside as much as possible.