Zika virus still a threat, CDC warns
WASHINGTON (KTRK) -- Although Zika cases have fallen sharply over the last year, the Centers for Disease Control is urging travelers not to let their guard down.
It's hard to predict how much risk people face in locales with smoldering infection, or if cases might spike again. For now, pregnant women still are being urged not to travel to a country or area with even a few reported cases of Zika, because the consequences can be disastrous for a fetus' brain.
"It's part of the new reality," said Dr. Martin Cetron of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those trying to conceive, and their partners, are advised to check with their doctor on how long to wait after visiting a location with active Zika infection.
There are lingering questions, too, about Zika's risk beyond pregnancy, enough that U.S. scientists just began studying babies in Guatemala to learn if infection after birth also might damage the brain.
SEE ALSO: What you should know about Zika virus
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Report a typo to the ABC13 staff
