Also, Texas health officials recommend that health providers test anyone who has three of the four most common Zika symptoms: rash, fever, joint pain, or eye redness. After Texas confirmed its first local Zika cases in the Rio Grande valley at the end of 2016, officials issued additional guidance, urging clinicians to test all pregnant women in Brownsville for Zika virus. Texas casts wider netLast October, even before it confirmed any local Zika cases, Texas issued testing guidance for pregnant women in six counties, but only in those who had two of the four most common symptoms. Earlier this week, CDC officials said the threat from Zika virus is far from over, adding that it is still getting about 30 to 40 reports each week of pregnant women infected with Zika virus. Ahead of an increase in mosquito activity, Texas health officials today announced they were expanding Zika testing for all pregnant women plus people with symptoms in six counties on the southern tip of the state at the Mexico border.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas health officials are recommending expanded Zika virus testing for pregnant women in six South Texas counties. Symptoms are usually minor but Zika can cause severe birth defects in babies of some women infected during pregnancy. The Texas Department of State Health Services said Friday it's recommending testing for women in their first and second trimesters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties. Health officials are also recommending testing for any resident in those six counties with a rash in addition to at least one other common symptom: fever, joint pain or eye redness. Late last year there were six cases of local mosquitoes transmitting the virus to people in Brownsville, located in Cameron County.
collected by :Lucy William
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