Update: CDC Says New Zika Cases Could Have Been Sexually Transmitted

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and certain state health departments are looking into 14 new cases of Zika virus to determine if they could have been transmitted through sexual contact. In each case, a man who had traveled to an area where Zika has been confirmed developed symptoms within two weeks of his female sexual partner becoming ill. While the main health concern is that several of the women are pregnant and Zika is suspected of increasing risk for congenital microcephaly, miscarriages, and other adverse fetal outcomes, the possibility of sexual transmission could expand the pool of potentially infected patients. The CDC now urges men who have visited or live in an area of active Zika transmission and their pregnant partners to use condoms when engaging in sexual activity, or to practice abstinence for the duration of the pregnancy. For urgent care, this means increased vigilance for male or female patients who fit the relevant criteria as well as an added level of patient education.