Confirmed Zika Virus Cases Spike in California

The number of Zika virus cases has increased dramatically in California, according to the California Department of Public health.

There are 60 cases as of June 17 in the state, a dramatic increase of eight from early May, the department reported. All the cases, except for one, were travel-related infections. One person was infected through sexual intercourse, the department reported. The case involved a man who had traveled to a Zika-infected country transmitting the disease to his partner, who had not.

"This is the first confirmed case in California where Zika virus was transmitted sexually,” said California Director of Public Heath Dr. Karen Smith. “If your partner has traveled to an area where Zika is present, protecting yourself by abstaining from sex or using condoms during sex is the best way to prevent sexual transmission of the Zika virus.”

It's unknown how long an infected man can still transmit the disease to his sexual partners, the department said. At this time, there is no evidence that women can transmit Zika virus to their sexual partners.

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The cases were futher broken down by county, with Los Angeles County leading with 18 infections followed by San Diego with 13. Click here to see the county-by-county breakdown.

Fifteen of the cases involved pregnant women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the virus is responsible for causing severe defects in unborn children, including microcephaly, which leaves babies with abnormally small heads and often with brains that do not develop properly.

In total there are 756 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the United States; 234 of those cases are among pregnant women.

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization. Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, according to the CDC.

Medical officials highly discouraged pregnant women from traveling to Zika-infected areas, such as Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, authorities are scrambling to prevent the spread of the disease in the United States. Zika is spread by a specific type of mosquito — the Aedes aegypti mosquito. There is currently no vaccine for the virus.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were once thought to be a threat to only the southern United States. But the CDC map shows the mosquitoes reaching as far north as New York City, New Jersey and Pennsylvania and as far west of California.

Zika symptoms

In most cases of Zika, there are no symptoms. In a few cases, Zika can trigger paralysis (Guillain-Barré Syndrome).

When present, symptoms are mild and last less than a week. They include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. There's no vaccine or specific treatment. Instead, the focus is on relieving symptoms and includes rest, re-hydration and acetaminophen for fever and pain. Aspirin and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen should be avoided.

The CDC offers these tips to prevent the spread of the disease:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Stay in places with air conditioning and window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Take steps to control mosquitoes inside and outside your home.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are overseas or outside and are not able to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol.
• To prevent the spread of sexually-transmitted Zika, condoms should be used properly.

"We do not know how long the virus can stay in the semen of men who have had Zika, and how long the virus can be spread through sex," the CDC says.

-- Patch editor Deb Belt contributed to this story. Photo via Shutterstock