Message for U.S. Citizens: Zika Virus Update

[NewsLady]

The U.S. Embassy in Panama informs U.S. citizens that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel notice for Panama regarding the Zika virus.  There is evidence that suggests Zika is linked to birth defects in the fetuses of infected pregnant women and Guillain-Barré syndrome in infected individuals of any age or gender.  Zika is typically a mosquito-borne illness, but there are reports that the virus has been transmitted through sexual contact and blood transfusion.  For general information about Zika, please visit the CDC website.  For information about CDC travel notices, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) from within the United States, or 1-404-639-3534 from overseas or visit the CDC website.