health tips with Nurse Rose: Zika Virus
If you take a newspaper or turn on a TV, you've probably heard of Zika virus, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes that found its way to the United States in recent months. With the summer holidays upon us and people spend more time outside, an expert nurse Rose Melendez, RN, HealthCare emergency department director of Adventist Hospital Adventist Washington, answers our questions about the Zika virus.
Rose Melendez, RN, director of the emergency department and nursing administration
What exactly is the Zika virus
nurse Rose: Zika virus is similar to West Nile virus, which is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes. It usually causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, rash, joint pain, eye redness, muscle pain and headaches. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, sexually and through blood transfusion from an infected person. One thing that is important to remember is that the symptoms are usually mild and most people recover in a few days.
Do we need to worry about Zika virus here in the US?
Nurse Rose: Although there had Zika infected individuals in the United States, most cases have been in people who have traveled to Latin America and the Caribbean, where Zika virus is the most common. At this point, no one has become infected from a mosquito bite here in US health officials are already preparing for mosquito control if the Zika virus begins to spread by mosquitoes inside United States
What should we do to protect? ourselves Zika virus
Nurse Rose: There are currently no cure for Zika virus. The best thing you can do is to protect yourself against mosquito bites, both when traveling abroad and here at home, by following these steps.
- Wear mosquito repellent containing DEET whenever you are outdoors
- Apply mosquito after you have sunscreen or other lotions [applied
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors
- Stay indoors with air conditioning where possible
- Remove all permanent bodies of water around your home where mosquitoes can breed.
If you are pregnant, you should consult your doctor before visiting a country in Latin America or the Caribbean because the Zika virus can affect the fetus. Health authorities recommend that pregnant women not to visit these countries. You can find more information about Zika here: www.cdc.gov/zika.
What should I do if I think I'm infected by the Zika virus
Nurse Rose: As always, you should consult your doctor and be sure to tell them if you have recently traveled to an area which could be affected by the Zika virus.
additional health tips Rose
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