NEWS
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 5
The Zika Virus Outbreak
Planning a Global Response
- jerico
espinas
The Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease, is suddenly catching worldwide attention from both
domestic and international health programs. What
is perhaps most surprising for these organizations is
that the disease itself is relatively mild. Deaths are
rare, and the most common symptoms include fever,
rash, joint pain, red eyes, muscle pain, and headache.
The symptoms last between a few days to a week.
Overall, the disease has been a low-priority disease
since it was first documented in the 1940s. What is
catching the attention of these health organizations
are the rapid spread and side effects of this virus.
The Zika virus is
transmitted by the Aedes
mosquito, a common
disease vector that also
transmits other tropical
illnesses such as dengue,
chikungunya, and yellow
fever. Notably, this mosquito is capable of thriving in many different
climates, therefore allowing new viruses to spread
once it has moved. The Zika virus was initially located
in Pacific Island nations, such as French Polynesia and
Easter Island.
However, the Zika virus moved to Latin America in
2015, where it started a regional pandemic. Brazil was
the hardest hit country, with the University of Sao
Paulo estimating between 400,000 and 1,400,000
cases of the Zika virus in the country. Nearby countries, such as Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and
Jamaica have also experienced their own local Zika
outbreaks as the virus spreads across populations.
The tropical conditions of these Latin American
countries are an ideal habitat for the disease vector.
Rural communities are highly vulnerable as they
commonly store water in tank—especially those
that are susceptible to drought conditions—further
increasing the spread of the disease.
The significance of this outbreak is the potential
side effects of this disease. Pregnant women who contracted the virus durin r&Vv