Zika virus fight a long journey: World Health Organization chief

The virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are found in Florida, but the CDC reports that Zika can also be transmitted by a man to his sex partners and through blood transfusions.

In response to a question over the link between Zika and microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with unusually small heads and brain damage, Chan said the evidence in Brazil pointed to the disease as a possible cause. Moreover, US health authorities are investigating 14 new cases of Zika virus that may have been transmitted sexually, suggesting a larger role than previously considered for the spread of the mosquito-borne virus.

The CDC advises women who are pregnant to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. In December, the first local transmission of the Zika virus infection was reported in the Caribbean.

The Zika virus, believed to be linked to the serious birth defect microcephaly, presents a “formidable” challenge that will be hard to stamp out, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan has said.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika.

At least 34 countries, mostly in the Americas, have active Zika outbreaks and the virus is expected to spread.

The agency reiterated its call for people to use condoms or practice abstinence when living in or traveling to the more than 20 nations and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean affected by the Zika virus.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that causes symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.

“In all events for which information is available, travelers were men and reported symptom onset was within two weeks before the non-traveling female partner’s symptoms began”, the CDC report said. All the cases so far have been travel-related, but the virus can be spread by bites from mosquitoes that are common in Florida. These new cases bring a total of 32 confirmed cases in the state.

Last week, Colombian authorities said they had registered 37 000 Zika infections, including in more than 6 300 pregnant women.