The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a telebriefing Jan. 28 to address the Zika virus travel alert previously issued, as well as to answer any questions the press may have in regards to this new travel and health concern. Present at the telebriefing were Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director, CDC, and Dr. Tony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The current Zika outbreak began May 2015, when the World Health Organization in Brazil reported the first local transmission of the virus in the Americas. By the end of 2015, authorities believe more than 1 million cases of the virus had occurred. Around the same time, it was noticed there was a substantial increase in Brazilian infants born with microcephaly, with numbers of more than 3,500. At this time, the CDC made it clear it cannot confirm if there were other factors that resulted in the Brazilian cases of microcephaly, or whether Zika infection during pregnancy can cause additional issues and harm to the fetus beyond the observed correlation.

Additionally in the latter half of 2015, Brazilian authorities reported an increase in cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause severe nerve damage and paralysis lasting several weeks to several months. The CDC is investigating whether this illness is also associated with the increase in Zika infections.

As of now, the CDC confirmed Zika cases have been found in 20 countries within South and Central America, and continual spread is expected. This is particularly true in southern parts of the United States, where the Aedes mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus, is prevalent.

While there has yet to be a case of local Zika transmission in the United States, there are 31 travel-associated cases detected in 11 states and the District of Columbia, from the time of the original outbreak to the present, as well as 20 confirmed cases in U.S. territories, including 19 in Puerto Rico and one in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The exact locations of those with travel-related cases have not been released.

Despite the fact the Zika virus is a serious threat to pregnant women, the CDC reports that, in typical cases, the virus only causes mild symptoms such as fever, rash and joint pain for the span of up to a week. In fact, the majority of those infected never experience symptoms at all.

At this time, NIAID is researching the possibilities of two Zika vaccines, both incorporating methods found to be successful in combating the West Nile virus and the Dengue virus.

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