Zika Virus: Nigeria Issues Travel Restrictions To Latin America

However, with the onset of spring and summer, the risk of Zika virus transmission in Europe will grow, as mosquitoes find better breeding grounds in warmer climates.

Loren Robinson, deputy secretary for health promotion and disease prevention at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, said pregnant women should take caution when planning a vacation.

New Zealand health officials say this country has very good border protection against insects and is taking a precautionary stance, as world health authorities warn of a global Zika virus emergency. The possibility that the Zika virus and this condition are linked only emerged in October when Brazil saw a huge upsurge in the number of cases of microcephaly.

Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is also known to carry the dengue, yellow fever and Chikungunya viruses.

The absence of vaccines, specific treatments and rapid diagnostic tests for the disease means it has the potential to spread internationally.

“The appropriate surveillance/response mechanisms for Zika virus infection and birth-defect complications will soon be operational at the ministry”.

Zika has been detected mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A virus that’s spreading throughout south and central America is getting watched by state health officials.

Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a news conference that both candidates were based on earlier vaccines related to the viruses of West Nile and dengue, with one ready for clinical trial later this year. Importantly, for most people, it will clear up on its own without any long-term complications.

“By precaution we recommend that a woman who is pregnant, or who intends to get pregrant, delay their trip to those countries”.

India on Friday geared up to meet the Zika virus challenge by deciding to constitute a technical group to monitor the situation and strengthen surveillance system even as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) advised pregnant women against travelling to the affected countries.

The illness itself is generally mild, Taylor said. Travelers showing symptoms are still being urged to seek testing for tracking purposes, but there have been no fatalities from the Zika virus recorded in the United States.