No threat of Zika virus in Pakistan

Health authorities have issued a national alert against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, vector of the Zika virus which might cause microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

This level of attention is reminiscent of the Ebola scare of from 2014 to 2015, and word of such a widespread outbreak leaves many wondering if they should be fearful for their health. Travelers should visit the CDC Travel website – www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/ – frequently for the most up-to-date recommendations.

The virus has been connected to microcephaly, a neurological disorder causing an abnormally small head, sometimes leading to death.

Loren Robinson of the Pennsylvania Department of Health said Friday that each person being tested had traveled to an area affected by Zika.

“What we have at this moment, in this country, is a group of women who’s in fear of getting pregnant and not knowing what will happen during the pregnancy”, a law professor at Brasilia University told the BBC.

Before talking to reporters, Rousseff spoke on a videoconference with authorities in the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Paraiba and Bahia, which are among those with the most cases of Zika, dengue and Chikungunya.

“It is important to understand that we will not have a widely available safe and effective Zika vaccine this year, and probably not even in the next few years”, he said.

Dr. Ray Pontzer, an infectious-disease specialist who practices in Pittsburgh, advised pregnant women who have plans to travel to infected areas to delay or cancel their trip.

She said that to help determine its response, World Health Organization would convene an emergency meeting on Monday, because the level of alarm was extremely high.

While Zika epidemics have been contained in the past to small areas, there were no major health concerns in the aftermath of what was then considered to be a relatively mild illness.

Health Minister Shri J.P. Naddahas has stressed the control of the spread of Aedes mosquitoes that transmit dengue and the Zika virus and breed in clean water.

It added that they will work with World Health Organization to monitor the outbreak in other regions.

Nevertheless, they warned the public to be extra vigilant and watch out for symptoms which include joint pains, headache, muscle and eye pains, fever, rash, and conjunctivitis.

“The virus is hard to detect and there is no quick point-of-care test which can be used”, he said.

“We need to look at Zika virus in its context, as the latest in a series of mosquito-borne diseases that have expanded their reach in the last 20 years or so”, Fauci said. The state is following CDC protocol in education efforts. All people diagnosed with Zika virus are asked to avoid mosquito bites to hinder the spread of the disease. It’s also urging people to destroy mosquito-breeding grounds.