Zika virus threat across the Americas

New York City health officials say three New Yorkers have contracted the Zika virus.

Zika, the virus that is being spread by mosquitoes in Central and South America, is causing serious worry because of a link to birth defects. Brazilian researchers have linked Zika to a seemingly sudden upsurge in cases of microcephaly, in which children are born with abnormally small heads.

CDC has also developed Interim Guidelines for Pregnant Women During a Zika Virus Outbreak for use by health care providers in the US.

Health deputy director-general Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said the ministry viewed the global situation with great concern since the likelihood that the mosquito-borne disease would spread here is high.

There is one confirmed case of the Zika virus in Arkansas, but Bocchini says that should not raise concern.

The WHO is increasing surveillance of Zika virus infections and of microcephaly and other neurological conditions both in countries where the Zika virus is known to be present and in those countries to which the virus may spread.

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was “spreading explosively” in the Americas and that as many as four million people could be infected by the end of the year.

Rousseff said an operation to eliminate breeding areas for the Aedes aegypti mosquito has begun at all installations run by the armed forces and at all federal educational, health and other facilities.

Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat the disease.

Pregnant women in Brazil who are infected with Zika-a virus suspected of causing birth defects-are prohibited from having an abortion.

Health officials did not say when they returned to Canada. It suggested wearing long sleeves and trousers, using mosquito sprays and avoid leaving out buckets, empty gardening pots and other containers that can catch water, and report to medical institutions in case of developing suspected symptoms.

The New Zealand Herald reported today that one local man had been admitted to hospital with symptoms linked to the Zika virus.

But “for people who are pregnant and considering travel to the affected areas, please take this seriously”, she added.

“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. Law professor Debora Diniz told the BBC that “when we talk about abortion and reproductive rights in general, that we have a social class split in Brazil-wealthy women will access safe abortion, legal or illegal, and poor women will go to the illegal market or continue to be pregnant”. However, now no vaccines are found for the prevention or treatment of Zika virus. Where symptoms (usually fever, joint pain and rash) do develop, they are generally mild and resolve within a week. She said that about 15 percent of her clients who had booked trips for the Olympics had called in recent days to ask about the Zika virus and the possibility of modifying their trips.