Article from: HealthyChildren.org
With all of the coverage in the news about the Zika virus lately, it is understandable that parents have questions. Here are the facts you need to know about this virus.
What is Zika?
Zika is a virus that can cause the following symptoms:
- Rash
- Fever
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Joint pain
Symptoms usually clear up in less than a week, are mild, and rarely require hospitalization.
Health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are now seeing that Zika may be dangerous to pregnant women and their babies. There appears to be a connection between this recent outbreak of Zika and an increase in a condition called microcephaly in which babies are born with usually small heads.
