Danger from Zika virus to the world
Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. The
most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and
conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting
from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is
uncommon. In the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert
regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in
Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome and pregnant women giving
birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes.
The Zika virus, an alarming and
disturbing infection that may be linked to thousands of babies being born with
underdeveloped brains, is spreading through the Americas. This is the same
mosquito that transmits dengue fever and chikungunya. The illness is similar to
dengue fever and is generally mild and self-limiting, lasting four to seven
days. Zika is commanding worldwide attention because of an alarming connection
between the virus and microcephaly, a neurological disorder that results in
babies being born with abnormally small heads. This causes severe developmental
issues and sometimes death.
Almost our entire counrty is in the Red zone
and given the frequent endemics of Dengue which we run into every year, we
really can't rule Zika out! For now all we have to say is that stay safe, keep
your surrounding free from garbage and mosquitoes. No Zika case has been
reported in the country so far and the government’s strategy is meant to
prevent the virus being carried from abroad as was done to counter Ebola
earlier. The transmission of the virus mostly takes place when the infected
person has a fever. India needs to focus on stopping the entry of the virus in
the country because of its enormous childbirth rate as Zika affects foetuses
the most.
