In May 2015, Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus disease.
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Mosquitoes carrying the disease aren’t able to survive in Canada, but they are spreading in Central and South America.
He also advised pregnant women to refrain from visiting infected countries and said that a health alert would be issued to all Government and private health facilities. PAHO has mobilized staff and members of the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN) to assist ministries of health in strengthening their abilities to detect the arrival and circulation of Zika virus through laboratory testing and rapid reporting. Like dengue, it is a day-biting mosquito.
Hospitalization for the Zika virus is uncommon.
The minister further assured Nigerian that there is no single case of Zika virus infection in the country and there is no need to panic, stressing that the Federal Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation and update Nigerians of any other developments. The following year it was discovered in mosquitoes and was eventually isolated from humans in 1954.
“So any mosquito-borne illness tends to spread easily owing to overcrowding and hygiene issues”. Using repellents and screens is the best preventative measure.
The manifestation of Zika virus infection include: mild fever, rash (mostly maculo-papular), headaches, joint pain (arthralgia), muscle pain (myalgia), loss of weight (asthenia), and non-purulent conjunctivitis. “Currently, it may not be here in India, but if a person lands in India with the active infection and gets bitten by Aedes mosquito and that mosquito bites other peoples this can be spread in India as well”, Dr J.S. Bhasin, senior consultant and HOD (Pediatric and Neonatology department) at BLK Super Specialty Hospital in Delhi.
The reports of the spread of this virus, and the debilitating and life threatening conditions that it may be causing, are very concerning especially considering the potential threat it poses to expectant mothers and their unborn children, he said.
The Committee will meet on Monday 1 February in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The WHO was criticized a year ago for reacting slowly to Ebola epidemic that killed over 10,000 people.
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Brazil’s Health Ministry said in November 2015 that Zika was linked to a foetal deformation known as microcephaly, in which infants are born with abnormally small heads.
