WHO declares Zika a global emergency

The World Health Organization has announced that the outbreak of the Zika virus in the Americas is an “extraordinary event” that merits being declared an international public health emergency.

WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan convened meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee to determine if Zika should be considered a “public health emergency of international concern”. The meeting was convened in Geneva, Switzerland

Global Emergency indicates immediate response across the world for the seriou outbreak.

WHO is declaring an international public health emergency for the fouth time. Before global emergency was called for H1N1 swine flu, Polio in syria and Ebola in West Africa.

About Zika

* Its a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

* It was first found in Zika forest of Uganda in 1947, hence it got its name as Zika.

* Symptoms: Headache, Fever, Rashes, Muscle and Joint pain.

* It causes neurological disorders and foetal deformation known as Microcephaly in which infants are born with abnormally smaller heads that can cause brain damage.

* There is no specific treatment/vaccine available. The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites and clearing stagnant water where mosquitoes breed.

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