Year: 2016

The United States health officials have started to sound its alarm bells. The Zika Virus, which till date, was confined to lower and middle South American countries like Brazil, have now begun to travel towards the north. Countries like Argentina and Peru are already on the list of countries showing incidences of the outbreak.

The WHO & the CDC have jointly issued statements regarding the symptoms and preventive measures that have to be employed to contain the Zika Virus. The world was already recovering from the pathetic images that have shown Zika infected babies, with their trademark tiny heads, and most countries were heaving huge sighs of relief as the cases were predominantly reported in Latin American nations. But, this reprieve has now been cut short as health officials warn of an increase in the chances of the illness spreading to other countries across the world, due to several factors like tourism, etc. The scientists at the CDC have also been speculating if the virus has mutated into a more contagious form.

The United States has already warned its citizens about the risks associated with going on trips in South American countries and have issued standard procedures that they will have to keep in mind before and after the visit. Some of the risk nations are Brazil, Costa Rica, Aruba, Argentina, Guatemala, Belize, etc. Even Cape Verde, a popular tourist destination in the African continent is now on the CDC’s list.

The CDC has strongly advised pregnant women to forego their intention to visit these and other places associated with the risk of Zika. It also recommends regular testing of body fluids for the presence of Zika virus, after coming home from holidaying in these countries. It also advises the use of insect repellent to ward off disease-carrying Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoes, covering your all visible parts of the body and choosing hotels that have insect screens.