“[The secretary] determined that there is a significant potential for a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of United States citizens living abroad and that involves Zika virus,” a Food and Drug Administration statement reads.
The CDC plans to distribute the test to qualified laboratories both in the U.S. and in other countries over a two week period. The antibody testing window is from about four days after infection to 12 weeks, according to the CDC. Testing outside of this window can return a false-negative. No commercially available FDA-approved tests currently exist.
More articles on Zika:
CDC investigates 14 new sexually transmitted Zika cases in US
Zika & Guillian- Barré Syndrome linked? Investigation of 2013 outbreak produces strong evidence
Chicago’s first Zika virus case confirmed
