I believe this would bring the number to 10 in Texas.  The CDC must be overwhelmed with tests.  Over a dozen in Chicago, 20 in L.A. country,  etc....  and probably dozens more we don't know about.   We're going to see an explosion of cases announced. 

One thing that I'm certain about, is that although they are all travelers, I don't believe they were all bitten by mosquitoes.  Not a chance.  It's a combination of the patients not wanting to admit their sexual transmission case while on vacation (who would?), and the CDC not announcing probable cases and respecting their privacy.   When you look at other imported cases of mosquito borne-illnesses coming into the country like Malaria, Dengue, West Nile, etc.... hardly any comparison.  Very little doubt these travelers are getting via sexual transmission.  

Anyway...

4 more patients with Zika virus symptoms tested in Dallas County

Dr. Vanessa Van Der Linden, the neuro-pediatrician who first recognized the microcephaly crisis in Brazil, measures the head of a 2-month-old baby with microcephaly. The baby’s mother was diagnosed with having the Zika virus during her pregnancy. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)



Health officials now say four more people in Dallas County possibly may have been infected with the Zika virus, in addition to the two cases confirmed this week.

 

Specimens from the four patients have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. All four people had recently traveled out of the country, said Dallas County health director Zachary Thompson. He gave no details on the patients, including whether any is pregnant.

An outbreak in Latin America triggered warnings this week from the World Health Organization and the CDC for pregnant women not to travel to the countries affected. Scientists are studying a possible link to babies born with birth defects, namely small heads and brains.

On Tuesday, Health officials confirmed that the mosquito-borne Zika virus had come to Dallas. Two people tested positive for the virus, and one of them may have contracted it through sexual contact. Officials said, Patient 0 had sex with Patient 1 after returning home from abroad.

Patient 1 is the first person who contracted the virus in the U.S., and the case serves as evidence that the virus could be sexually transmitted.

Thompson said both people have recovered from the virus. He emphasized that the four new possible cases are all among travelers. Thompson said he does not believe there are any mosquitoes locally that have the virus, which is transferred from humans to the insects.

Thompson described the virus as being “contained” locally. Medical workers have been screening people showing symptoms of the virus and alerting health officials of anyone who traveled recently to South America.

Though the outbreak has primarily been confined to South American countries, there is no sure way to prevent more cases in the U.S.

“Short of stopping people of traveling altogether, I don’t know where the solution is going to be,” Thompson said.

Gov. Greg Abbott also has assembled a task force to determine how state officials should respond to infectious diseases like the Zika virus. Locally, city officials have been meeting weekly with mosquito control staff. They are beginning a public awareness campaign earlier than usual to urge residents to use insect repellent and drain any standing water where mosquitoes might breed.

“We need to practice that now,” Thompson said. “As mosquito season approaches … we want to already have our residents practicing to make sure they’re not breeding mosquitoes around their home.”

About 80 percent of people who contract the virus won’t show symptoms, and the greatest concern is for pregnant women. The Zika outbreak in Latin America has been linked to a rash of babies born with microcephaly.

The World Health Organization declared Zika a global health emergency on Monday.

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2016/02/dallas-health-officials-testing-four-people-with-symptoms-for-the-zika-virus.html/