The Zika virus outbreak now gripping the Americas could have been sparked by the release of genetically modified mosquitoes in 2012, critics say. No Zika virus cases have been registered on the Chinese mainland as yet.
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Doctors in the US have confirmed at least 31 Zika cases. Though a majority of those infected don’t show symptoms, it is especially unsafe in pregnant women, as many believe it can cause serious birth defects. Those who do develop symptoms typically have mild disease, such as a low fever, rash, joint pain, pink eye and headaches. No one produced a vaccine for West Nile because scientists could not find a company to distribute it. They should not run into this problem with Zika. More than 1 million or more people have been infected in Brazil, where in that country’s poorer northeastern states Zika has caused thousands of cases of a tragic congenital birth defect known as microcephaly – dramatically smaller than normal head circumference – and abnormal brain development.
Several governments have warned pregnant women against travelling to affected countries, and several major airlines are now offering refunds to expecting mothers booked for travel to Latin America.
Instances of microcephaly have boomed in Brazil, just as the Zika virus has spread.
“It is a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals – pregnant women – that is associated with a terrible outcome for their babies”.
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus, which is related to dengue.
The UK is unlikely to be affected by the outbreak because the virus carrying mosquitoes could not survive the climate.
While there is no evidence the Zika virus can be passed human to human, there have been reports the virus has been isolated in human blood and semen.
Colombia has also seen a rise in the number of patients diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder which can cause paralysis. After a couple weeks virus is undetectable in the blood.
Those who are planning on becoming pregnant or are already pregnant are urged to cancel their trips to areas at high risk for the Zika Virus. There is no evidence that Zika virus stays in your body after you have recovered from infection.
Since October, Brazil has reported more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in areas with Zika circulation. If the disease spreads as widely as anticipated, countries with strict anti-abortion laws such as El Salvador may require a policy change.
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Aedes mosquitoes are not found in Hong Kong, but the secretary said other species of mosquito present in the territory are also considered as possible carriers of the disease.
