Birth Defect-Causing Zika Virus Could Spread to Florida and Texas In The Summer, Expert Says
The New Year has met a new virus that has been reported to cause of serious birth defects and fetal brain damage, Time reported Tuesday. The virus, referred to as the Zika virus, is suspected of spreading in more parts of the world after sporadic outbreaks in some parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
The Zika virus was perceived to be harmless when it was first discovered in Uganda's forest in 1947. However, recent studies reveal that it had caused neurological disorders to the development of newborn babies an outbreak hit several islands in the Pacific region in 2013 and 2014.
In 2015, the Zika virus made a huge leap in terms of its spread to the Western Hemisphere. The virus has claimed several victims in Brazil where it affected 18 states and regions including the Rio Grande do Norte, Rio de Janeiro and Amazonas. Vox News reported Tuesday that the virus has spread to Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and nine other countries.
"It's spreading fast," said Dr. Scott Weaver, Director of Texas University's Institute for Human Infections and Immunity. "I think [the Zika virus] is going to be knocking on the doorstep in places like Florida and Texas probably in the spring or summer."
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials have warned people traveling to the South and Central American regions to take special precautionary measures in avoiding mosquito bites, particularly pregnant women.
For now the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are warning individuals and doctors to be vigilant for Zika.
"Detecting circulation of the virus in new geographic areas is most important, to strengthen the responses of health services and step up surveillance for serious cases or complications," said Sylvain Aldighieri of the PAHO and WHO regional office for the Americas.
