WASHINGTON — For college students, a summer break can mean the opportunity for travel: for vacation or for study — and health officials are warning them about the risks of Zika.
Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is issuing a reminder to students to protect themselves against the virus.
In a statement issued by DHMN, Maryland Health Secretary Van Mitchell said, “We are reminding our residents to exercise caution, given the link between Zika infection of pregnant women and the occurrence of birth defects in their babies.”
Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito and a pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Among the reminders: anyone who travels to areas where Zika is active should keep watch for mosquito bites for seven days after returning home to prevent a mosquito from passing on a potential infection.
For more information on areas where Zika is active, visit the CDC’s website.
Read how Zika is transmitted on CDC’s website.
Get more information on what’s known about Zika through the CDC.
