World Health Organization Warns About the Spread of Zika Virus

The head of the World Health Organization announced on Thursday that the infectious Zika disease is spreading in an "explosive" manner. According to Agence France-Presse, Margaret Chan, speaking to representatives of member countries of the World Health Organization, called for an emergency meeting of the organization to combat the Zika virus on February 1 in Geneva. Chan added that this meeting should determine whether a public health emergency declaration is necessary. She noted that in past instances, such as in 1947 when the virus was first discovered in a monkey in Uganda, there was not much concern, but the current situation is very different. The Zika virus, which grows in a type of mosquito and is transmitted to humans through its bite, is one of the factors contributing to the increase in the number of babies born with birth defects. In this context, the infection of pregnant women with Zika in Brazil has led to the birth of babies with very small skulls, resulting in impaired brain development. According to the New York Times, nearly 4,200 cases of this virus have been reported in infants in Brazil since October. Nevertheless, the head of the World Health Organization believes it is still too early to discuss the link between the Zika virus and the birth of babies with small skulls, although he stated there is strong suspicion that such a connection exists. The Zika virus, which is primarily spreading in West Africa and is transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes, causes deadly diseases such as yellow fever, chikungunya, and dengue fever. Meanwhile, Marcus Espinal, a WHO official in the United States, stated on Thursday that it is expected that there will be between three to four million cases of Zika virus in American countries. Previously, some reports indicated that the disease has spread to 20 countries in South and Central America and has extended to Mexico. On the other hand, Barack Obama, the President of the United States, called for faster research on the Zika virus and the production of a vaccine to combat it. According to Agence France-Presse, no vaccine has yet been developed for the Zika disease, and the only way to prevent it is to avoid being bitten by Aedes mosquitoes. According to this report, research results indicate that the Zika virus could reach areas in the United States where 60 percent of the country's population lives. According to MSNBC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. reported cases of this disease in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Texas. All these cases have been observed among individuals who recently returned from West African countries to the U.S. Meanwhile, the Guardian newspaper in London reported on Thursday that Denmark and Switzerland have recently joined the growing list of European countries that have reported cases of Zika virus. The Guardian noted that cases of Zika virus have also been reported in the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. According to this report, most of the individuals infected with the Zika virus in recent months traveled to Latin American countries and the Caribbean. In this context, the Russian Minister of Health announced that the country's healthcare system is prepared to identify and treat any cases of Zika virus infection.