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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Zika outbreak: What you need to know | Zika outbreak: What you need to know |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Some areas have declared a state of emergency, doctors have described it as "a pandemic in progress" and some are even advising women in affected countries to delay getting pregnant. | Some areas have declared a state of emergency, doctors have described it as "a pandemic in progress" and some are even advising women in affected countries to delay getting pregnant. |
| What are the symptoms? | |
| Deaths are rare and only one in five people infected is thought to develop symptoms. | |
| These include: | |
| There is no vaccine or drug treatment. Patients are advised to rest and drink plenty of fluids. | |
| But the biggest concern is the impact it could have on babies developing in the womb and the surge in microcephaly. | |
| What is microcephaly? | |
| It is when a baby is born with an abnormally small head, as their brain has not developed properly. | |
| The severity varies, but it can be deadly if the brain is so underdeveloped that it cannot regulate the functions vital to life. | |
| Children that do survive face intellectual disability and development delays. | |
| It can be caused by infections such as rubella, substance abuse during pregnancy or genetic abnormalities. | |
| Brazil had fewer than 150 cases of microcephaly in the whole of 2014, but there have been more than 3,500 reported cases since October. | |
| The link with Zika has not been confirmed. | |
| But some babies who died had the virus in their brain and it has been detected in placenta and amniotic fluid too. | |
| Where did Zika come from? | Where did Zika come from? |
| It was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947. | It was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947. |
| The first human case was detected in Nigeria in 1954 and there have been further outbreaks in Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. | The first human case was detected in Nigeria in 1954 and there have been further outbreaks in Africa, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. |
| Most were small and Zika has not previously been considered a major threat to human health. | Most were small and Zika has not previously been considered a major threat to human health. |
| But in May 2015 it was reported in Brazil and has spread rapidly. | But in May 2015 it was reported in Brazil and has spread rapidly. |
| It has since also been reported in: Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname and Venezuela. | It has since also been reported in: Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname and Venezuela. |
| "Its current explosive pandemic re-emergence is, therefore, truly remarkable," the US National Institutes of Health said. | "Its current explosive pandemic re-emergence is, therefore, truly remarkable," the US National Institutes of Health said. |
| How does it spread? | How does it spread? |
| It is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. | It is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. |
| They are found throughout the Americas except for Canada and Chile where it is too cold for them to survive. | They are found throughout the Americas except for Canada and Chile where it is too cold for them to survive. |
| If they drink the blood of an infected person they can then infect subsequent people they bite. | If they drink the blood of an infected person they can then infect subsequent people they bite. |
| They are the same insects that spread dengue and chikungunya virus. | They are the same insects that spread dengue and chikungunya virus. |
| And, unlike the mosquitoes that spread malaria, they are mostly active during the day, so bed nets offer limited protection. | And, unlike the mosquitoes that spread malaria, they are mostly active during the day, so bed nets offer limited protection. |
| The WHO expects Zika to spread throughout the Americas, but other scientists have warned that countries in Asia could face large outbreaks too. | The WHO expects Zika to spread throughout the Americas, but other scientists have warned that countries in Asia could face large outbreaks too. |
| What can people do? | What can people do? |
| As there is no treatment, the only option is to reduce the risk of being bitten. | As there is no treatment, the only option is to reduce the risk of being bitten. |
| Health officials advise people to: | Health officials advise people to: |
| The mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so people are also being told to empty buckets and flower pots. | The mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so people are also being told to empty buckets and flower pots. |
| The US Centers for Disease Control has advised pregnant women not to travel to affected areas. | The US Centers for Disease Control has advised pregnant women not to travel to affected areas. |
| What is being done? | What is being done? |
| The Brazilian Health Minister, Marcelo Castro, has said a new testing kit is being developed to identify infections quickly. | The Brazilian Health Minister, Marcelo Castro, has said a new testing kit is being developed to identify infections quickly. |
| He also said more money was being put into the development of a vaccine. | He also said more money was being put into the development of a vaccine. |
| Some scientists are also trialling the use of genetically modified sterile mosquitoes that appear to reduce mosquito populations by 90%. | Some scientists are also trialling the use of genetically modified sterile mosquitoes that appear to reduce mosquito populations by 90%. |
| Meanwhile, efforts are under way to kill the mosquitoes with insecticide. | Meanwhile, efforts are under way to kill the mosquitoes with insecticide. |
| Are the Olympic Games under threat? | Are the Olympic Games under threat? |
| Rio de Janeiro is the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games from 5 to 21 August. | Rio de Janeiro is the host city for the 2016 Olympic Games from 5 to 21 August. |
| The Brazilian authorities will be targeting the mosquitoes' breeding grounds in the run-up to the Games. | The Brazilian authorities will be targeting the mosquitoes' breeding grounds in the run-up to the Games. |
| However, it says fumigation will be carried out only on a "case-by-case" basis because of potential health concerns for athletes and visitors. | However, it says fumigation will be carried out only on a "case-by-case" basis because of potential health concerns for athletes and visitors. |
| There is also some hope there will be fewer mosquitoes in August as the month is both cooler and drier. | There is also some hope there will be fewer mosquitoes in August as the month is both cooler and drier. |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |