With an eye on the Zika virus, Kentucky Public Health officials are urging pregnant women, those who might be pregnant and their sex partners to carefully plan holiday trips.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Ardis Hoven says Zika remains an ongoing threat in several Latin and South American countries. While head abnormalities among newborns have been the most often cited effect of Zika, Hoven says even healthy babies are monitored.
“What we’re learning as this epidemic, if you want to call it that, continues, the implications for the infact, both in-utero, and after birth, we’re learning many more things about what can occur with these babies,” Hoven said.
Dr. Hoven says there have been 33 cases of Zika in Kentucky. 17 women and 16 men contracted the disease while visiting other countries. Hoven says two of these women have had babies who display no serious health problems.
