Amid Zika Outbreak, Guillain-Barre Cases On Rise In Latin American Countries

“The situation does not compromise the Olympics”, Rousseff said.

Army soldiers set a banner that reads in Portuguese “A mosquito is not stronger than a whole country” at the Central station, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. The rate of Zika-infected persons has increased by 23% from last week’s figures and, more alarmingly, the rate of pregnant women who had the virus has increased by 57.8%. Pregnant women are at risk if their unborn babies are exposed to the virus, which can lead to birth defects.

Rousseff kicked-off the anti-Zika push by personally visiting homes in the poor Zeppelin neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, followed by the city’s mayor and the state governor.

All travellers, including pregnant women, going to an area where locally acquired Zika infection is occurring should adhere closely to steps that can prevent mosquito bites during the trip. “Fortunately the Olympics are about six months away so I believe we have time to get some of our doubts and questions answered” quipped Solo. “If everyone is mobilized, the mosquito isn’t stronger than an entire country”.

They advised residents to keep water tanks tightly covered, turn open bottles upside down and store tires in places where they won’t collect water.

While “no scientific evidence to date confirms a link between Zika virus and microcephaly or GBS”, the agency pointed out that GBS was also observed during the 2013-14 Zika virus outbreak in French Polynesia.

Another 3,852 suspected cases were being studied.

The first case of Zika virus was discovered in Colombia on October 16, 2015, the World Health Organization reported.

“It’s important to state that some localities that do not use pyriproxyfen also had reported cases of microcephaly”.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday raised a travel health notice for Thailand to a level two alert, suggesting travelers practice enhanced precautions against Zika virus infection and pregnant women should postpone travel to the area.

Brazil has been most affected by the outbreak that has spread rapidly through Latin America and the Carribbean. The same day, Health Minister Marcelo Castro said Brazil will partner with researchers from the University of Texas to develop a Zika vaccine that could be ready for test trials within a year.