In War On Zika Mosquito, Brazil Vows Worry-Free Olympics
Many countries have raised their alert levels or boosted their efforts against the Zika virus as scientists race to develop a vaccine for Zika, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says vaccines could come out in at least 18 months.
Some 1.5 million people have been infected with the Zika virus in Brazil since early 2015, but only three have died.
The group of Argentine doctors point out that during past Zika epidemics, there have not been any cases of microcephaly linked with the virus.
Researchers have been trying to figure out whether the virus actually causes microcephaly.
“If there’s a silver lining in this, it’s that the athletes are now really paying attention to the recommendations that we’ve been making all along to make sure you protect yourself against mosquito bites”, he said referring to repellant, long sleeves, closed windows at night and mosquito netting. “Whether it was caused by Zika remains to be determined”.
The country has 462 confirmed cases of microcephaly, and is investigating another 3,852 suspected cases, the BBC reported.
Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever.
A health worker fumigates as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, at the cemetery of Presbitero Maestro in Lima, Peru, February 12, 2016. Rio will host the Olympic Games in August, making it imperative for Brazil’s Government to defeat the virus there.
There are so far no recorded cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in Colombia, the government has said.
Numerous mothers who gave birth to infants with microcephaly remember having an infection that is like one described for Zika – rashes, hives and a low-level fever.
New data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health suggests that microcephaly cases may be lower than initially reported.
President Dilma Rousseff appealed to the public to spend 15 minutes a week to ensure there was no standing water in their homes where mosquitoes can breed.
In Brazil, microcephaly is defined as a head circumference of less than 32cm, while the World Health Organisation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have their own growth charts, which are used in Australia.
The CDC continues to advise pregnant women to avoid travel where Zika is being transmitted.
Rousseff’s visit to Rio de Janeiro is part of the National Day of Mobilisation for the Fight against the Aedes Aegypti, when under the slogan “Zika zero”, more than 200,000 members of the armed forces are taking part by visiting some three million homes in 250 cities, while 28 of the 31 ministers promote mosquito extermination around the country.
Castro cited the Amazonian state of Acre, which managed to slash the incidence of dengue to 350 cases previous year from over 30,000, as an example of the key role played by local communities.