Zika Virus Update

By Kathy Sinkin, RN, CDE

There is much new information concerning the Zika virus. If you are pregnant or are planning on becoming pregnant, please refer to this link to properly protect yourself and your unborn baby: www.cdc.gov/zika. According to French researchers, having sex can spread the Zika virus, and it now known that the virus can remain in a man’s semen for weeks and even months. This means that in addition to vaginal sexual intercourse, the virus can also be transmitted through oral sex. Men and women need to take precautions.

Kathy Sinkin is a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at kcsinkin@aol.com