US disease detectives have moved into full outbreak mode over the Zika virus, assembling a team of hundreds of experts to try to better understand its impact as it spreads in the Americas.
On Sunday, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention dedicated an emergency operations centre staffed around the clock to address Zika, a mosquito-borne virus linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, agency officials told Reuters.
The CDC has set up such command centres to handle the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and the Haiti cholera epidemic that began in 2010. This time, the team includes many more experts on pregnancy, given the unusual impact of Zika.
The World Health Organisation on Thursday said it would consider next week whether to declare Zika an international health emergency, and estimated that as many as four million people could be affected by the virus as it spreads in Latin America and the Caribbean to North America in the coming months.
The US public health agency has been working with the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the WHO since early November to understand the sudden increase in cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that appears linked to Zika.
Brazil said this week about 3700 cases of microcephaly are being studied for signs of Zika.
“It’s an extraordinarily complicated situation. There appears to be an association, but we just don’t have enough data yet,” said Tracee Treadwell, of the CDC.
The agency grew more confident of a link between microcephaly and Zika in mid-January, after it conducted its own tests on tissue samples from two stillborn babies and two babies who died shortly after birth.
All four of the microcephaly cases from Brazil were positive for Zika. The test results prompted the CDC’s travel warning on January 15, which advised pregnant women to avoid affected countries. — Reuters
WHAT IS THIS DISEASE?
Here are some facts about the virus and the current outbreak:
l The virus is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes, the same type of mosquito that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. Efforts to control the spread of the virus include eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets.
l There is no treatment or vaccine available for Zika infection. People who get Zika virus disease typically have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue, with symptoms normally lasting for two to seven days.
l The virus has been linked to a birth defect called microcephaly in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly. The WHO said a direct causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects has not yet been established but is strongly suspected.
l The WHO says that as no big Zika outbreaks were recorded before 2007, little is known about complications caused by infection. Long-term health consequences remain unclear. Other uncertainties include how Zika interacts with other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes such as dengue. — Reuters
Task team set up to combat new Zika virus
On Sunday, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention dedicated an emergency operations centre staffed around the clock to address Zika, a mosquito-borne virus linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, agency officials told Reuters.
The CDC has set up such command centres to handle the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and the Haiti cholera epidemic that began in 2010. This time, the team includes many more experts on pregnancy, given the unusual impact of Zika.
The World Health Organisation on Thursday said it would consider next week whether to declare Zika an international health emergency, and estimated that as many as four million people could be affected by the virus as it spreads in Latin America and the Caribbean to North America in the coming months.
The US public health agency has been working with the Brazilian Ministry of Health and the WHO since early November to understand the sudden increase in cases of microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that appears linked to Zika.
Brazil said this week about 3700 cases of microcephaly are being studied for signs of Zika.
“It’s an extraordinarily complicated situation. There appears to be an association, but we just don’t have enough data yet,” said Tracee Treadwell, of the CDC.
The agency grew more confident of a link between microcephaly and Zika in mid-January, after it conducted its own tests on tissue samples from two stillborn babies and two babies who died shortly after birth.
All four of the microcephaly cases from Brazil were positive for Zika. The test results prompted the CDC’s travel warning on January 15, which advised pregnant women to avoid affected countries. — Reuters
WHAT IS THIS DISEASE?
Here are some facts about the virus and the current outbreak:
l The virus is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes, the same type of mosquito that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. Efforts to control the spread of the virus include eliminating mosquito breeding sites and taking precautions against mosquito bites such as using insect repellent and mosquito nets.
l There is no treatment or vaccine available for Zika infection. People who get Zika virus disease typically have a mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain and fatigue, with symptoms normally lasting for two to seven days.
l The virus has been linked to a birth defect called microcephaly in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly. The WHO said a direct causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects has not yet been established but is strongly suspected.
l The WHO says that as no big Zika outbreaks were recorded before 2007, little is known about complications caused by infection. Long-term health consequences remain unclear. Other uncertainties include how Zika interacts with other viruses transmitted by mosquitoes such as dengue. — Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos