BROWNSVILLE - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued updated guidelines for pregnant women living and traveling to Brownsville.

The new guidelines are in response to the five locally-transmitted cases of Zika discovered in Brownsville.

The Cameron County Department of Health and Human Services recommends all pregnant women who live in or traveled to Brownsville on or after Oct. 29, 2016 be tested for Zika. This includes:

• Pregnant women with symptoms of the Zika virus
• Pregnant women who live in or frequently travel to Mexico or Brownsville and who are without symptoms of Zika virus should consult with their healthcare provider to obtain routine testing for Zika virus infection in both the first and second trimesters of pregnancy.
• Pregnant women who are without symptoms but who have limited travel to Brownsville.

The same recommendations apply to pregnant women who have had sex without a condom, with a partner who lives in or traveled to Brownsville on or after Oct. 29.

“By expanding testing guidelines, we want to provide pregnant women with the necessary information about their health and their pregnancy,” stated Dr. James Castillo, with Cameron County Health Authority. “It’s important that pregnant women have a discussion with their medical providers about Zika testing.”

Brownsville resident Kimberly Quezada lives a few minutes away from the five cases. She’s an expectant mother in her second trimester.

Quezada said she’s worried about contracting Zika and plans to get tested at her next doctor’s appointment.

“I think it’s good to be just cautious… Just check it out even if you don’t want to. It doesn’t hurt to just check,” she said. “It’s better to be tested positive or negative, or whatever and then go from there.”

Quezada also lives across the street from a resaca. She said she’s limited her time outdoors since the threat of Zika began in Cameron County.  

Dr. Castillo added the advisory is not meant to cause panic nor does this mean more locally acquired cases of Zika were discovered. 

CHANNEL 5 NEWS will continue to report the latest.