Zika virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes found in some parts of the world. For most people it's mild and not harmful, but can cause problems if you're pregnant.
Is Zika still a concern for pregnancy?
CDC recommends you take special precautions if you are pregnant to protect yourself from Zika virus infection. Because Zika during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects, if you are pregnant, you should not travel to areas with Zika outbreaks (as indicated by red areas on the Zika map).
How severe are most cases of Zika?
The majority of people infected with Zika virus do not develop symptoms. Symptoms are generally mild including fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache, and usually last for 2–7 days.
What percentage of Zika infected people get sick?
Symptoms of Zika are mostly mild, with only 1 in 5 infected people exhibiting any signs of illness. Hospitalization is rare with this infection. Zika can be diagnosed through a blood test. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps an updated list of countries where Zika outbreaks have occurred.
How worried should I be about Zika?
How many Zika cases in 2023?
The PAHO reported over 28,267 Zika cases across the Americas as of November 2023, with the highest proportion of Zika cases reported in Brazil, Bolivia, Belize, Columbia, Paraguay, and Venezuela. The WHO's EPI-WIN digest #7 overviews the Zika virus disease resurgence as of September 2023.
Should I be worried about mosquito bites while pregnant?
Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant person to their fetus. Zika primarily spreads through bites from infected mosquitoes. You can also get Zika through sex without a condom with someone infected by Zika, even if that person does not have symptoms of Zika.
How common is Zika in the US?
Zika cases in the United States
| Year | US States Locally acquired** | US States Travel-associated† |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 224 | 4,944 |
| 2017 | 7 | 445 |
| 2018 | 0 | 74 |
| 2019 | 0 | 28 |
How common is Zika?
In 2017, the number of reported Zika virus disease cases in the United States started to decline. Since 2018, there have been no reports of Zika virus transmission by mosquitoes in the continental United States. Since 2019, there have been no confirmed Zika virus disease cases reported from United States territories.