Thread: Zika virus 'spreading explosively': WHO chief

Strange wording. What is "Almost 41"? 40?

A new study published in the journal The Lancet throws some more light on the possible association between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Analysis of 42 patients who were diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during the Zika virus outbreak in French Polynesia showed that almost 41 patients showed antibodies against Zika virus in their blood. This research gives the first evidence that suggests Zika virus might cause GBS, a severe neurological disorder.

Puerto Rico may face 'hundreds of thousands' of Zika cases: US

Miami (AFP) - Puerto Rico may be on the brink of a massive outbreak of Zika, a mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to birth defects, and cash is urgently needed, warned US health authorities on Thursday.

Tom Frieden, the chief of the US Centers for Disease Control, told reporters on a conference call that he had just returned from a visit to the US island territory, and was worried by what he had seen.

"Puerto Rico is on the front lines of the battle against Zika and it is an uphill battle," said Frieden.

"I am very concerned that before the year is out there could be hundreds of thousands of Zika infections in Puerto Rico and thousands of infected pregnant women," he added.

"The rainy season is around the corner and funding from Congress is urgently needed," said Frieden.

The virus has already swept through Brazil, where thousands of babies have been born with microcephaly, a defect in which the head is unusually small.

Some microcephaly cases have been directly linked to infection with Zika virus while the mother was pregnant.

While researchers caution that Zika has not yet been proven to cause birth defects, evidence so far strongly suggests the possibility.

Frieden also said a link between Zika and Guillan Barre syndrome -- in which the immune system attacks the nervous system -- "is likely to be proven in the near future."

Efforts to control mosquitoes have been further complicated by the discovery that some common repellants are not working.

"We are finding widespread resistance to some insecticides," said Frieden.

- 'Unmet' needs -

Other top concerns listed by Frieden include the lack of access to contraception in Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island with some 3.5 million inhabitants.

Last month, the island territory declared a health emergency due to the Zika virus, which can be transmitted by sexual contact as well as by mosquitoes.

Health experts have urged women who want to become pregnant or who are pregnant to avoid travel to the more than 30 areas of the world where Zika is present -- or if they live there, to postpone plans to get pregnant if possible.

Men are urged to use condoms, or refrain from sex with pregnant partners.

"Never before have we had a mosquito-borne infection that could cause birth defects on a large scale," said Frieden.

"Most of the pregnancies in Puerto Rico are unplanned, unintended and there is an unmet need for contraception."

The latest figures, released in February, showed that Puerto Rico has documented 22 cases of Zika. Updated figures are expected on Friday, Frieden said.

Health authorities anticipate "the number of cases in Puerto Rico at some point beginning to increase not steadily but dramatically," he said.

- Rainy season -

There is no vaccine to prevent Zika, and in four out of five cases, the infection shows no symptoms. Otherwise, it may cause fever, rash and red eyes.

Speaking to reporters on the same call, Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said early vaccine trials may get under way by late summer or early fall, but reiterated that it will likely be years before an effective vaccine is widely available.

Some 100 CDC staff are working in Puerto Rico, as part of 750 CDC workers assigned to work on the Zika virus, Frieden said.

"There is nothing about Zika control that is quick or easy," he added.

"The only thing quick is the mosquito bite that can give it to you. And the only thing easy are wrong answers."

Puerto Rico may face 'hundreds of thousands' of Zika cases: US

South Korea confirms first case of Zika virus

South Korea reported its first confirmed case of the Zika virus on Tuesday in a 43-year old male who have traveled to Brazil, its center for disease control said.

The World Health Organization on Feb. 1 declared the Zika virus outbreak to be a global public health emergency, citing a "strongly suspected" relationship between Zika infection in pregnancy and microcephaly.

Zika has not been proven to cause microcephaly in babies, but there is growing evidence that suggests a link. The condition is defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.

Brazil said it has confirmed more than 860 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating more than 4,200 additional suspected cases of microcephaly.

South Korea confirms first case of Zika virus

New appeals for Zika funds amid resistance in US Congress

US health officials Friday appealed again for emergency funding to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, after meeting resistance from Republican lawmakers who want to use money previously earmarked for Ebola.

In February, President Barack Obama's administration asked Congress for $1.9 billion to boost preparedness and response to Zika, a poorly understood virus which has been linked to a surge in birth defects in Brazil and is expected to infect hundreds of thousands of people in the US territory of Puerto Rico by year's end.

But the request has stalled in the House Appropriations Committee, where Republicans say the administration should put $2.7 billion in unspent money for fighting the Ebola virus towards Zika preparedness.

"The bottom line is, without significantly increased resources, it is going to be very difficult to do the kind of innovations we need to do rapid testing and rapid control," said Thomas Frieden, chief of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Frieden hosted a summit on the Zika virus Friday, drawing 178 representatives from health departments, dozens of non-governmental organizations and government agencies to Atlanta, along with some 2,000 people watching a webcast about the latest scientific data and prevention strategies.

He and other government officials also held a conference call with reporters to discuss the challenges of facing down the first-known mosquito-borne virus that appears to infect the fetal brain, though officials have yet to confirm whether Zika causes microcephaly, a life-long malformation in which an infant's brain is much smaller than normal.

Zika has spread quickly to more than 30 places in Latin America and the Caribbean since last year.

In the mainland United States, dozens of pregnant women have been infected after traveling to parts of the world where Zika is present and two pregnant women were infected with Zika through sex, he said.

Asked to quantify the risk to the United States, Frieden declined to predict how many Zika cases might be seen in the continental United States in the coming months.

"We don't want to speculate about what may happen. We want to maximize out preparedness for what we can prevent from happening."

- Puerto Rico on the brink -

Even though the Zika virus was first identified in 1947, the outbreak of birth defects has taken health authorities by surprise.

Frieden said it remains unclear how to advise women about the actual risk of fetal abnormalities.

"There are just too many unknowns," he said.

Frieden has warned that Puerto Rico is on the brink of a massive Zika crisis, and may have thousands of pregnant women infected in the coming months.

The $1.9 billion requested includes $828 million for the CDC and would be used to accelerate vaccine research, develop a long-term strategy to prevent Zika, expand lab capacity and testing, boost mosquito control, and support low-income pregnant women, officials said.

There is no vaccine on the market to prevent Zika and often the virus does not cause symptoms in adults who are infected. When it does, the illness may be mild and includes fever, rash and red eyes.

In February, the House Appropriations Committee responded to Obama's request by pointing to $1.4 billion of unused Ebola funds within the Department of Health and Human Services, and another $1.3 billion unused in the Department of State and USAID coffers.

"Some in Congress have just suggested we use the money we had to fight Ebola to fight Zika," said Amy Pope, White House Deputy Homeland Security Advisor.

"Even if we take money from other pots, even if we make these very hard choices, the money we have now is not enough," she added.

"We cannot wait until we see widespread transmission in the United States before taking steps to prepare. It is just too late at that point."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/appeals-z...200757962.html

CDC: Zika virus causes birth defects, microcephaly

(CNN) The Zika virus causes microcephaly and other birth defects, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

"This study marks a turning point in the Zika outbreak. It is now clear that the virus causes microcephaly," CDC director, Dr. Tom Frieden said.

Previously, the agency said it's likely the virus in pregnant women was the cause of the rare birth defect that results in an underdeveloped brain and that the evidence was mounting. However, they maintained that more research was needed before they could conclusively say it is causal.

There was no smoking gun that lead to this proclamation, according to a special report detailing the evidence published online by the New England Journal of Medicine Wednesday.

Based on all of the available evidence, the CDC said two separate sets of criteria to determine a pathogen or environmental exposure causes a birth defect have been met.

"We started using criteria about a month ago to see which ones had been met and which ones had not been met. We wanted to do this in a systematic and calculated way." said Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, lead author of the report and editor-in-chief of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

There was also no alternative explanation to account for the increase in these congenital defects among women who had the Zika virus during pregnancy.

Last week the World Health Organization said the mosquito-borne virus causes microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The CDC however, said they are not yet ready to conclude the virus causes Guillain-Barré syndrome. More than 1,000 cases of microcephaly and other fetal malformations believed to be Zika-associated have been reported from six countries, according to the WHO.

Rasmussen cautioned that there are still many unanswered questions.

For example, not all babies born to mothers who had Zika virus while pregnant will have babies with birth defects, but the amount of risk is still unknown. Another outstanding question: Does the stage of pregnancy at the time of infection impact the risk or outcome?

"We have studies that are ongoing that we hope will answer these questions as soon as we possibly can," she said.

Also unknown is the full range of health problems that can result from the virus. Cases of Zika-related microcephaly and congenital birth defects appear to be more severe than what pediatricians see from non-Zika related microcephaly based on clinical reports.

These include smaller head measurements than expected and a condition called fetal brain disruption sequence in which the virus has a destructive effect on the brain.

Earlier outbreaks of the Zika virus, in the Pacific Islands, did not result in adverse reports related to pregnancy. More than 50 years ago, the rubella virus was identified as the cause of an epidemic of congenital defects but no other infectious pathogen has been linked this way since then, which is why the CDC said their approach was "cautious."

"This is an unprecedented situation," Frieden said. "Never before in history has there been a situation when a bite from a mosquito can result in such a devastating scenario."

This does not change any of the recommendations or....

CDC: Zika virus causes birth defects, microcephaly - CNN.com

So it's in a lot more states than they thought too.

We could see a lot more Americans born with small, malfunctioning brains.

Trump's spiv of a son could run in 2034 and win.

Last week the World Health Organization said the mosquito-borne virus causes microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The CDC however, said they are not yet ready to conclude the virus causes Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Guillain-Barré can be caused by badly cooked chicken so not necessarily mosquito based.

WHO warns of potential for 'marked increase' in Zika cases


The Zika virus is mainly spread via the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito

Paris (AFP) - The World Health Organization warned Monday of the potential for a "marked increase" in the number of Zika infections in the coming months, and its spread to new parts of the world.

With mosquito season arriving in Europe, "the possibility of local transmission combined with the likelihood of onward sexual transmission could see a marked increase in the number of people with Zika and related complications," WHO assistant director general Marie-Paule Kieny told a scientific Zika conference in Paris.

"As seasonal temperatures begin to rise in Europe, two species of Aedes mosquito which we know transmit the virus will begin to circulate," said Kieny.

"The mosquito knows no border."

About 600 disease experts from 43 nations are gathering in the French capital to pore over scant but increasingly worrisome data about the Zika virus sweeping Latin America and threatening the world.

Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about Zika -- how long it may hide out in the human body, the degree of risk of sexual transmission, the full list of diseases it may cause, and all of the mosquito species which can transmit it.

- 'Global emergency' -

Kieny described Zika, linked to severe brain damage in newborns and a rare neurological disorder in adults, as a "global emergency".

"The Zika emergency requires a rapid evolution of our knowledge base, concerted action and innovation if the virus and related complications are to be addressed efficiently."

The most urgent priority, she said, was for new tools with which to quickly diagnose the virus in infected people -- particularly in pregnant women whose babies risk being severely disabled by Zika.

"There is also a critical need for a vaccine but, as we know, it will take a few years before a fully tested and licensed vaccine is ready for use in public health sectors."

Developers in the United States, France, Brazil, India and Austria are working on 23 vaccine projects, Kieny said, and the feasibility of an "emergency-use" vaccine was being examined.

"As it will be used to protect pregnant women and women of childbearing age, a vaccine must meet extremely high standards of safety," Kieny said.

Recent scientific consensus is that Zika causes microcephaly, a disorder that causes severe brain damage in babies, and adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.

The two-day Zika expert meeting is being hosted by the Institut Pasteur, with backing from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the European Commission and the WHO.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/warns-pot...47.html?ref=gs

This could be the next step in human evolution.

Brazil says almost 1,300 hit by Zika-linked microcephaly

Brasília (AFP) - Brazil's outbreak of Zika -- which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns in 1,271 cases since October -- has also killed 57 of those babies, authorities said Wednesday.

The Health Ministry said in that as of April 30, 3,580 suspected cases had been reported and that another 2,492 were ruled out as false alarms.

While 57 babies were known to have died of the condition, another 178 deaths were suspected to have been caused by it, the data showed.

Brazil, the epicenter of the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak, hosts the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to 21.

The virus is blamed for birth defects in babies born to women infected with the virus.

Despite a flurry of research, very little is known about the virus -- how long it can hide out in the human body, the degree of risk via sexual transmission, the full list of diseases and disorders it may cause, and all the mosquito types capable of transmitting it.

The recent scientific consensus is that Zika causes microcephaly, a form of severe brain damage in newborns, and adult-onset neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which can cause paralysis and death.

There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which in most people causes only mild symptoms -- a rash, joint pain or fever.

Largely contained to Latin America and the Caribbean, Zika's range is likely to expand as summer arrives in the northern hemisphere -- and with it virus-transmitting mosquitoes.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/brazil-sa...33.html?ref=gs

Spain confirms first case.

The mystery of Zika twins

Brazil scientists seek to unravel mystery of Zika twins

Scientists struggling to unravel the mysteries of a Zika epidemic in Brazil hope they can learn from cases of women giving birth to twins in which only one child is afflicted by the microcephaly birth defect associated with the virus.

Jaqueline Jessica Silva de Oliveira hoped doctors were wrong when a routine ultrasound showed that one of her unborn twins would be born with the condition, marked by stunted head size and developmental issues.

"When I found out one of them had microcephaly, the ground fell out from beneath me," the 25-year-old said as she sat on the sofa of her home in the city of Santos. "You always hope that they will be born well, thinking that it could be a mistake by the doctor or in the ultrasound."

Her son Lucas, who she holds in her arms, was born healthy in November. His twin sister Laura, whose head is visibly much smaller, requires regular treatment by a team of neurologists and physiotherapists in nearby Sao Paulo.

With two young children already, Oliveira - who suffered the symptoms of Zika early in pregnancy - knew that life would be difficult with a child with developmental problems. Her husband, the family's only breadwinner, brings home just over 2,000 reais ($566) a month.

"I thank God for giving her to me... I would never abandon her," Oliveira said, adding she had never questioned why only one child was born with microcephaly. "The doctors want to study them so they can see what protected Lucas in case it can help other children."

CLUES TO NATURE OF DISEASE

Cases of only one twin developing a disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, have been widely documented. Medical research has focused on the interaction between the environment and genetic issues.

Lucas and Laura are one of five cases of Zika twins scientists are studying in Sao Paulo.

Similar cases of newborn twins - one with and one without microcephaly - caught the attention of doctors last year in northeastern Brazil, where the mosquito-borne Zika was detected for the first time in the Americas. The divergence in twins was one reason why researchers began to suspect the presence of a new disease.

Brazil has since registered nearly 5,000 confirmed and suspected cases of microcephaly associated with Zika, according to the Health Ministry. The outbreak, and its impact on pregnant women, has cast a shadow over the upcoming summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on August.

The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit so far. It is likely to spread to all countries in the Americas except for Canada and Chile, the World Health Organization has said.

Last month, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention officially confirmed that infection with Zika in pregnant women is a cause of microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies.

A team from Sao Paulo University studying the five cases believes they may hold clues to the nature of the disease itself and hope to have results from their investigation in a year's time.

"The importance of these twins...

Brazil scientists seek to unravel mystery of Zika twins | Reuters

Singapore reports first imported Zika case

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) reported Singapore's first imported case of Zika on Friday (May 13).

In a joint statement, MOH and NEA said: "The patient is a 48-year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident who had travelled to Sao Paulo, Brazil from Mar 27 to May 7. The patient developed fever and rash from May 10 and was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital on May 12 and isolated.

"The patient tested positive for Zika virus infection on May 13. He will be transferred to the Communicable Diseases Centre at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment and isolation to minimise the chances of being bitten by mosquitoes and spreading the infection in the community. The patient is currently well and recovering. He will only be discharged upon being tested negative for the Zika virus."

The statement added that MOH is screening the patient's household members, and that the patient's residence at Watten Estate is not an active cluster. It said that NEA has intensified vector control operations to control the Aedes mosquito population in the area, and that MOH and NEA would actively alert residents in the vicinity to seek medical attention should they develop symptoms of fever and rash.

MOH and NEA nevertheless stated: "We advise residents of Watten Estate, Casa Perla, Hillcrest Arcadia, The Arcadia and Watten Hill Condominium to monitor their health."

Residents Channel NewsAsia spoke with said they were "quite alarmed to learn about the Zika virus". Samuel Lim, 33, noted: "There are a lot of mosquitoes in this area. One walk around the nearby park, and you get 20 bites in one minute." Mr Lim was referring to the playground at the junction of Watten Rise and Shelford Road. His wife, Emily Luah, 31, added: "I'm also four months pregnant so I'm quite worried about this, but there are only so many precautions I can take."

Another resident, John Westnedge, 52, said: "I’ll be completely honest. I think we are little freaked out and we’ll be wearing patches every day but that fades, unfortunately – so how do we keep that up? Or is this just a one-off event when someone went to Brazil and happened to be bitten by......

Singapore reports first imported Zika case - Channel NewsAsia

Whatever happened to the deadly SARS virus which allegedly would decimate the world?

you know hoho... you make me wonder if you are evidence that zika been around for a while.

Wonder away, I'll certainly not stop you.

Now about SARS, any update that might be useful as a comparison of scaryness/the fear index generated worldwide or the real long term worldwide decimation affect of SARS vs XXXXX? [the current scare]?

Has anyone a vaccine for SARS or XXXXX available yet, been tested, signed off as legit and people leading normal lives after being vaccinated? Any pharmaceuticals companies share prices rocketed?

WHO rejects call for Olympics to be moved due to Zika


A worker from a public cleaning company wears a T-shirt that reads ''Out Zika'' is pictured before the inauguration ceremony of the common areas and the Live Site at the 2016 Rio Olympics park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 11, 2016. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

May 28 - The World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday rejected a call for the Rio Olympic Games to be moved or postponed due to the threat posed by large outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil.

Responding to a call from more than 100 leading scientists, who said it would be unethical for the Games to go ahead as scheduled, the United Nations health agency said having the Games in Rio as planned would "not significantly alter" the spread of Zika, which is linked to serious birth defects.

"Based on the current assessment of Zika virus circulating in almost 60 countries globally and 39 in the Americas, there is no public health justification for postponing or cancelling the games," the WHO said in a statement.

In an public letter posted online on Friday, around 150 leading public health experts, many of them bioethicists, said the risk of infection from the Zika virus is too high for the Games to go ahead safely.

The letter was sent to Margaret Chan, the WHO's director-general, and said that the Games, due to be held in Rio de Janeiro in August, should be moved to another location or delayed.

"An unnecessary risk is posed when 500,000 foreign tourists from all countries attend the Games, potentially acquire that strain, and return home to places where it can become endemic," the letter said.

But the WHO rejected the call, saying Brazil "is one of almost 60 countries and territories" where Zika has been detected and that people continued to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons.

"The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice," it said.

The WHO's advice is that pregnant women should not travel to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission, including Rio de Janeiro. It also advises everyone to make all efforts to protect against mosquito bites and to practice safe sex.

Zika infection in pregnant women has been shown to be a cause of the birth defect microcephaly and other serious brain abnormalities in babies.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly.

(Editing by Alexander Smith)

WHO rejects call for Olympics to be moved due to Zika | Reuters

Zika virus alert in Udon Thani’s Sangkhom district

Udon Thani’s Sangkhom district has been declared off-limits especially to pregnant women after a resident of the district was quarantined in Taiwan after he was tested to be infected with Zika virus.

Health volunteers in all villages in Tambon Sang Nang Khao of Nong Khai’s Pone Pisai district were instructed by the director of health promotion hospital of Tambon Sang Nang Khao to mount a campaign to get rid of breeding grounds for striped mosquitoes and to inform villagers to protect themselves from mosquito bites by sleeping in sleeping nets and to avoid travelling to Sangkhom district.

It was reported that health officials had visited five relatives of the person inflected with Zika virus to keep them under watch to find out whether they are infected with the virus or not.

Zika virus alert in Udon Thani?s Sangkhom district - Thai PBS English News

Zika Australia: Gordonvale woman spreads fear of Zika infection after trip to Bali and Thailand

A Gordonvale resident near Cairns has tested positive for the Zika virus. Queensland health workers have been sent to south of Cairns in far north Queensland to check the spread of the virus. Reports claim that the woman recently returned from Bali and Thailand.

The Dengue Action Response Team (DART) has urged residents of Cairns to take appropriate precautions. They have been working and spraying for mosquitoes over the weekend.

“It's not people they come in contact with, it's the fact that they infect mosquitoes and those mosquitoes then infect other people. The sooner we find out about a case, the better chance we have of controlling any transmission because the mosquitoes don't actually become infectious until about 10 days after they've bitten someone with the infection,” Dr. Richard Gair from the Tropical Public Health Service (TPHS) told the ABC and confirmed that mosquito-spraying teams have been sent to the location to check the spread.

The Zika virus has been linked to microcephaly, severe birth defects in newborn babies. The virus spreads through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is confined only to Australia's north, including Cairns. The DART team is working rigorously to stop other mosquitoes from getting infected. Gordonvale residents have also been notified about the incident and they have been asked to spray mosquito-repellent inside and around their homes.

Although Zika virus is less severe than the more commonly spread dengue and is usually mild, the virus has been linked to babies being born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. T he US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed in April that Zika caused the congenital disease. Hence, simply clearing out breeding sites and killing the mosquitoes is of utmost importance.

Recently, scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston genetically engineered the world's first Zika virus infectious cDNA clone. The genetically engineered Zika virus infectious clone will help scientists develop an effective vaccine. At the same time, it will help expose why the virus causes birth defects in newborns and other diseases, as well as take epidemic proportions.

Zika Australia: Gordonvale woman spreads fear of Zika infection after trip to Bali and Thailand

Baby Born to Zika-infected Mom in NJ Has Microcephaly

Health officials in New Jersey said a baby girl born on Tuesday, to a mother who was infected with the Zika virus, has severe microcephaly.

A New Jersey doctor from the Hackensack University Medical Center said a 31-year-old woman visiting the U.S. from Honduras was infected with the virus after she was bitten by the Aedes mosquito early on in her pregnancy.

Microcephaly is the birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to developmental problems. Manny Alvarez, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Hackensack, told NorthJersey.com that the premature newborn also suffers from intestinal and visual issues.


Dr. Abdulla Al-Khan, the hospital’s director of maternal-fetal medicine and surgery, said the mother came to the United States for treatment after Zika symptoms were discovered.

The baby girl was delivered though a cesarean section, and Khan said is “completely Zika-affected,” but confirmation of the virus in the newborn is still pending tests.

The Zika virus is mainly transmitted via the Aedes mosquito. The connection between Zika and microcephaly was first discovered last year in Brazil, where more than 1,300 cases have been confirmed. All cases are considered related to Zika infections in the mothers.

The outbreak is affecting parts of Latin American and the Caribbean.


Zika Virus

Mosquito-borne virus first identified in Uganda in 1947
Known to circulate in Africa, the Americas and Asia
About 20 percent of those infected become ill
Symptoms similar to dengue and chikungunya, which are carried by same type of mosquito
Most common effects are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes; last 2-7 days
Deaths are rare
No vaccine or treatment available
Best prevention is preventing mosquito bites
Source: WHO and U.S. CDC

Baby Born to Zika-infected Mom in NJ Has Microcephaly

Zika virus: Risk of spread from Olympics 'very low' says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is a "very low risk" of Zika virus spreading globally as a result of holding the Olympics in Brazil.

There is no need to move the Olympics from Rio de Janeiro, or to postpone or cancel them, WHO experts said.

The WHO reaffirmed earlier advice against imposing any travel or trade restrictions on areas affected by the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.

Zika has been linked to birth defects. The Olympics will be held in August.

The WHO has already declared Zika a global public health emergency. It has advised pregnant women to avoid travelling to the Games, and visitors to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

But despite the concern voiced by some scientists, the WHO said mosquito activity was relatively low in Brazil in August.

Brazilian officials expect about 380,000 foreign visitors to come for the Rio Olympics.

Zika virus: Risk of spread from Olympics 'very low' says WHO - BBC News

Four Zika Cases, Likely Locally Transmitted, Reported in Florida

The Southern state of Florida has reported four cases of the Zika virus, seemingly not linked to travel, Florida Governor Rick Scott told a press conference Friday.

"Florida has become the first state in our country to have a local transmission of the Zika virus," Scott said. Until now, about 1,650 cases of Zika reported in the U.S. had been linked to travel to countries in Latin America or the Caribbean that are facing outbreaks.

The four Florida cases are contained to a small area north of downtown Miami, Scott said, quoting state health officials.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz said President Barack Obama was briefed about the situation Friday morning. He said the Obama administration is supporting the efforts of Scott, who he praised for aggressively testing the area for the Zika virus and preparing for quite some time for a potential outbreak.

Florida has requested $15 million in emergency Zika funding to collect and test mosquitoes and provide Zika preparedness programs, among other things. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has provided $8 million.

OneBlood, Florida's main supplier of blood donations, has said it will be testing all of its supply for the Zika virus.

The mosquito that carries the Zika virus is found in southern U.S. states. Health officials predicted that the virus would begin spreading this summer and have tried to contain it to isolated areas.

Though the virus is relatively mild in most cases, many pregnant women who are infected with Zika give birth to babies with a congenital defect called microcephaly, which causes an abnormally small head. More than 1,600 such cases have been reported in Brazil, where the outbreak began last year.


Four Zika Cases, Likely Locally Transmitted, Reported in Florida

Hey, I heard of this virus that supposedly kills 250000 - 500000 people per year! I'm not sure about it though as the media isn't constantly warning people about the dangerous threat. It's called "influenza" or something. The news should be warning the people of this world.