Sioux Falls Avera Doctor Kim McKay says news of the Zika Virus has already had an impact her patients!

"You know this is the time of year when people like to travel to Mexico being one and the Caribbean being another. We already had some patients that are currently pregnant cancel their trips. The airlines have been pretty good about that. We really don't have any recommendations to those who are planing to conceive."

McKay says the focus of concern is the growing number of cases of the rare condition in which infants ares born with abnormally small heads and damaged brains.

"It's in the middle of winter here and it doesn't seem that all important because the mosquitoes are all dead. Certainly the mosquitoes they re talking about live here in the United States. It's really something we need to start planning on and think about how it's going to affect us. This is alarming."

Brazil is preparing to host the Olympics this summer. The C.D.C. has advised pregnant Americans to avoid travel to the region. Health officials say it is urgent to stop the virus now.

The New York Times reports at least 31 cases of the virus have been identified in 11 states and the District of Columbia. All of the those patients were infected in other countries.

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