Gensoli pointed out that the Zika virus, which is greatly affecting people in Latin America has similar symptoms with dengue fever wherein mosquitoes are also the carrier of the virus.
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In Brazil, over one million individuals have already been infected by the mosquito-borne virus, which has been connected to cases of microcephaly, a disease in which babies born to infected mothers have underdeveloped brains.
While it has yet to be definitively proven that the microcephaly cases are caused in some way by the Zika virus, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan warned last week that a causal relationship was “strongly suspected”.
World Health Organization officials raised concerns on the spreading of the Zika virus over the next year, as WHO experts forecast more than 3m infections in the Americas.
“The WHO faced heavy criticism for waiting too long to declare the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency and they should be congratulated for being far more proactive this time”, said Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust medical charity.
The Zika virus, carried by mosquitos, is now in two dozen countries and territories across the Americas.
In this Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The health ministry has linked the condition to Zika, although the connection is not yet definitive.
“If indeed, the scientific linkage between Zika and microcephaly is established, can you imagine if we do not do all this work now and wait until the scientific evidence comes out?”
The WHO could also make recommendations on travel to the affected countries, tracking the spread of Zika, best practice for treating patients or efforts to fast-track the development of vaccines and cures.
“It could be that we’re getting the strongest signal in Brazil”, he said.
Now the Zika virus, while not as deadly as Ebola, is highlighting again the need for honesty, transparency, and a renewed commitment to research and rapid response in managing such threats.
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She said the priorities were to protect pregnant women and their babies from harm and to control the mosquitoes that are spreading the virus.
