Nigeria issues travel restriction due to Zika virus

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control has commenced Zika virus diagnosis as part of ongoing effort to manage the present Lassa fever outbreak in the country, the senior health official said.

The virus has been linked to thousands of cases of babies being born in Brazil with microcephaly – meaning they have abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly. Zika is also spreading in Colombia and Ecuador. “The patient is isolated and we’re taking steps to prevent its spread”.

Meantime, Canada and cities like Kamloops are likely not to be impacted because we have different species of mosquitos. People contract the virus when they are bit by an infected mosquito, and mosquitoes can become infected if they bite a person who has the virus. “The technical group will be specially formed and it will be giving its opinion on what precautionary measures need to be taken”, a senior Health Ministry official said.

Nevertheless, the CDC has recommended travel restrictions in Central and South America for pregnant women.

Only one in five people who contract the disease express any symptoms, which include joint paint, fever and a rash.

While Zika virus can’t be spread directly from person-to-person, it can be transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person and then bites other people.

There are two potential Zika vaccines in development, but no commercially available vaccine or cure is available at the moment.

The U.S. has at least 31 travel related Zika cases in 11 states and Washington D.C., according to the CDC.

The virus, which is believed to be causing deformities in children if contracted by pregnant women, is spreading rapidly around the world. It has already swept through 23 countries in the Americas. Dr. Webb has warned pregnant women in Australia or women planning to get pregnant to completely avoid the regions that may experience an outbreak.