ZIKA, we’ve all heard of it. CNN News headlines it, “Zika challenge similar to AIDS for medical community”, The World Health Organization says it is “Spreading Explosively” in the United States, and Nebraska has its first two reported cases. According to Department of Health and Human Services, both cases of the virus are contracted by women in their 20’s who have recently traveled out of the country.

Discovered in the 1940’s this virus is not new. Until last year, the Zika virus has been confined to Africa and Asia. In 2015 the disease affected more than a million people in Brazil. It’s since spread to Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, and 10 other countries.

The Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, the same mosquitoes that spread dengue and chikungunya viruses. These mosquitoes become infected when biting a person who is already carrying the virus.

Most people who become infected do not actually show signs of the virus. For those who do, the symptoms are most commonly: fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis, muscle pain, and headaches.

People are concerned about the possibility of the virus impacting pregnant women and babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “There is currently no evidence that Zika virus infection poses a risk of birth defects in future pregnancies.” They have also made the scientific discovery that two babies born with Microcephaly  (a baby’s head is found to be much smaller than expected, compared to most) were found to have the Zika virus in their brains. With that being stated, there is still a lot of information to be discovered and facts to be proven. As of now, the CDC is warning and encouraging mothers to stay away from mosquitoes at this point, due to the lack of knowledge.

Without a vaccine, nor a treatment/cure, WHO has pronounced it an international public health emergency. Although there is no vaccine, prevention is readily available to a consumer: put on bug spray, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and stay indoors/ places with screens to repel the mosquitoes.