“Mr Nadda directed constitution of a technical group with immediate effect which would monitor the situation arising out of spread of Zika virus in other countries and will advise further on all the necessary steps that need to be taken”, an official statement said.
Advertisement
The British Olympic Association says it will continue to carefully monitor the Zika virus in Brazil amid World Health Organisation warnings that the current outbreak could soon be declared an global emergency.
Zika virus is a relative of dengue fever – and, in common with dengue and many other infections, it is spread by mosquitoes that predominantly bite during the day, and indoors: the Aedes aegypti.
Some 80% of those infected with the Zika virus don’t even feel sick, and most who do have relatively mild symptoms such as a fever, rash, joint pain or pink eye. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, the Zika virus is now in more than 20 countries, mostly in Central and South America.
There is no known cure or treatment for the Zika virus, and experts say a vaccination could be years away from being fully developed.
Neighbouring Singapore has not detected any Zika infections but the government said there was a high risk of transmission if cases were imported to Singapore, a regional travel hub.
Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said one of the vaccines was based on work done on the West Nile virus.
“The mosquitoes are here in the USA now”, Martinez said.
“A causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth malformations and neurological syndromes has not yet been established, but is strongly suspected”.
Public Health England (PHE) said men should wear condoms for 28 days after coming home from countries like Brazil and Mexico if their partner was at risk of pregnancy, or already pregnant. But there are major worries about the dangers pregnant women and their babies face. The virus has been linked to a devastating condition in newborns called microcephaly.
The WHO said it doesn’t anticipate giving similar advice, though does suggest that pregnant women take steps to avoid mosquitoes. Transmission Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti in tropical regions.
One reason why World Health Organization is examining the Zika virus so quickly may be because the agency was criticized for its slow response to Ebola; almost 1,000 people had died before World Health Organization declared it to be an worldwide emergency. US airlines is offering to refund tickets for pregnant woman travelling to regions of Latin America, including areas of Mexico where cases have been reported.
Advertisement
We don’t know yet whether the Zika virus poses additional serious risk to children and adults. Using insect repellent; wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body as possible; using physical barriers such as screens, and sleeping under mosquito nets are some of the prevention methods.
