Scientists suspect that a rise in the number of cases of pregnant women giving birth to children with abnormally small heads and brains – a condition called microcephaly – is related to the rise in Zika.
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Brazil has been worst affected by the outbreak, followed by Colombia, but more than 20 other countries have seen cases.
Zika is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also spreads dengue fever and the chikungunya virus.
There is no threat of the Zika virus in Pakistan, says the World Health Organisation (WHO), thus putting to rest increasing concerns in the country about the virus which reportedly caused birth defects such as microcephaly.
The institute said 37.2 percent of pregnant women with Zika live in Norte de Santander province, along the eastern border with Venezuela.
The Zika virus causes a mosquito-borne illness that includes a rash, fever and joint pain, and the flu-like symptoms generally last about a week, but the virus isn’t life-threatening, according to the CDC.
The virus is spread by the Aedes mosquitos, but don’t panic yet.
The Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in the Americas and can infect upto four million people, the World Health Organization warned yesterday as it issued a warning to all countries, including India.
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.
Travel restriction has been placed on Nigerians who intend to visit Latin America following the outbreak of Zika virus in that region, the government said on Friday.
“(Saturday) we were informed of a confirmed case of Zika in a pregnant woman who had traveled”, said Dr. Mary Bassett, “There are three NY residents who have been diagnosed with Zika”.
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Though the mosquitoes that transmit the virus don’t exist in Canada, travelers heading south to the Americas or South Pacific could be exposed. In addition, authorities in the country have asked women to delay conceiving by six to seven months to avoid potential infection.
