At a meeting last month with members of ethnic and community media outlets, cosponsored with City University of New York Center for Community and Ethnic Media, Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett revealed new data that show a steady increase in the number of pregnant women who have traveled to Zika-affected areas and have been tested for the virus upon their return. Zika is known to cause miscarriage and serious birth defects, including microcephaly.
In response, the Health Department launched a new media campaign sending two clear messages to New Yorkers pregnant or trying to become pregnant, as well as their partners: Delay travel to areas where there is active transmission of the Zika virus, and use condoms or other barrier protection when having sex with a person who has recently traveled to an area with ongoing Zika transmission. A copy of the guidelines can be found at nyc.gov/health/zika.
To date, physicians have requested testing for more than 2,000 pregnant women who have traveled to areas where there is active transmission of Zika. Additionally, pregnant women continue to be tested for potential sexual exposure following travel-related Zika exposure of their male partner. In the last month, the daily number of test requests has steadily increased. Last Friday alone, the City’s Zika Test Call Center received 56 test requests. Of the 2,000 women who have been tested, 41 have been confirmed to have the Zika virus as of July 15, 2016.
“We are doing everything we can to protect New Yorkers from the potentially devastating consequences of Zika,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “We remain concerned about the growing number of pregnant New Yorkers who are still traveling to Zika-affected areas. We want to ensure that pregnant women have the information they need to protect their babies, and we strongly recommend that they follow the travel advice and delay travel to countries with Zika.”
“If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, you should postpone travel to places where there is Zika. Family and friends will understand. If he travels, on his return, your male partner should follow our advice regarding safe sex. If he is uncertain that he can follow this advice, he should consider not traveling. The consequences of infection are far too high,” said Health Commissioner Bassett. “We want to see the number of pregnant women exposed to Zika go down, and we hope that our new campaign will convey the risk pregnant women face and how they and their partners can avoid these risks. At this pace, it is only a matter of time before we see a case of microcephaly due to Zika here in New York City.”
To learn about what the City is doing to prevent the spread of the Zika virus in New York City, read the most recent information about the Zika virus, and access the latest data available, visit the Health Department website.
The Center for Community and Ethnic Media serves as a hub of research, training and professional support for community and ethnic publications in the New York City metropolitan region. Since these media outlets distribute their work nationally and in their home countries, the center’s impact goes far beyond the borders of the five boroughs.
