Zika cases soar in Colombia

Four Canadians have been infected with the Zika virus after traveling to affected countries, according to Canadian government health officials.

The entomological surveys have revealed that the mosquitoes carrying this disease do not exist in Morocco, the Ministry pointed out in a statement following the recent outbreak of Zika virus infection in Latin America. According to the CDC, the Zika virus is now in more than 20 countries and spreading fast because of the widespread presence of the Aedes mosquitoes – the same mosquito that spreads dengue – and the fact that people in the region have no natural immunity.

“The issue with Zika is related to an association actually that has been discovered in Brazil, of pregnant women who get infected probably in their first trimester”, said Dr. Arruda.

It said: ” Sexual transmission of Zika virus has been recorded in a limited number of cases, and the risk of sexual transmission of Zika virus is thought to be very low.

Those countries and territories are: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Guyana, Cape Verde and Samoa.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned the virus is “spreading explosively”.

Union health minister J.P. Nadda on Friday set up a technical group comprising senior officials from the Indian Council of Medical Research, AIIMS and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme to monitor the situation. Imported cases have been reported in several European countries.

Pregnant women need to be especially careful, babies of mothers infected with Zika virus could be born with abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development – called microcephaly.

The WHO has set up an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to examine Zika and will meet on Monday to decide whether it constitutes a global emergency. “If you are pregnant you should try to limit your travel to those areas”.

A law professor involved in the anencephaly case and also involved in the Zika petition said early detection of microcephaly and access to contraception are also concerns.

“Fever, joint aches and pains, rash and red eyes (are symptoms)”, Dr. Barnes said.