Four Canadians have been infected with the Zika virus after traveling to affected countries, according to Canadian government health officials.
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There are 20,297 confirmed cases of the virus in Colombia, the national health institute said in a epidemiology bulletin, and among them are 2,116 pregnant women.
Researchers believe there is a link between the Zika virus and microcephaly, but say it is also possible that there is an error in record-keeping. “That birth defect is a small head and brain called microcephaly”. Discussions on this disease outcome and the threat from Zika virus infection have taken place with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Suva office.
Experts say the Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in Latin America, predicting as many as 4-million cases over the next year.
With Zika virus cases being reported from South America and the U.S., the Centre on Friday chose to constitute a technical group to monitor the situation even as it prepared to come out with an advisory soon. Scores of foreign travelers were expected to visit the country in February for its famed Carnival celebrations, raising the risk that they will bring the virus with them back home. “The only thing we can do is fight the mosquito”, she told reporters during a visit to a command center for the Zika crisis.
While the focus in some countries is to manage mosquito populations, the World Health Organization is considering declaring Zika a global emergency. This is a key fact you should be repeating to all of your friends who are freaking out over this right now: The virus has yet to be transmitted within the U.S.
The Aedes mosquito transmits the Zika virus, a breed of mosquito not established in Canada.
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Symptoms including fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis can last from several days to weeks and there is no vaccine to prevent or treat an infection.
