This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35427493
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Zika virus: Up to four million Zika cases predicted | Zika virus: Up to four million Zika cases predicted |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three to four million people could be infected with Zika virus in the Americas this year, the World Health Organization predicts. | |
| Most will not develop symptoms, but the infection has been linked to brain defects in babies. | Most will not develop symptoms, but the infection has been linked to brain defects in babies. |
| Meanwhile the US says it hopes to start vaccine trials in people by the end of the year. | |
| WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said Zika had gone "from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions". | WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said Zika had gone "from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions". |
| She has set up a Zika "emergency team" after the "explosive" spread of the virus. | She has set up a Zika "emergency team" after the "explosive" spread of the virus. |
| It will meet on Monday to decide whether Zika should be treated as a global emergency. | It will meet on Monday to decide whether Zika should be treated as a global emergency. |
| The last time an international emergency was declared was for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa which has killed more than 11,000 people. | The last time an international emergency was declared was for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa which has killed more than 11,000 people. |
| Zika: What you need to know | Zika: What you need to know |
| Zika was first detected in Uganda in 1947, but has never caused an outbreak on this scale. | Zika was first detected in Uganda in 1947, but has never caused an outbreak on this scale. |
| Brazil reported the first cases of Zika in South America in May 2015. | Brazil reported the first cases of Zika in South America in May 2015. |
| Most cases result in no symptoms and it is hard to test for, but WHO officials said between 500,000 and 1.5 million people had been infected in the country. | Most cases result in no symptoms and it is hard to test for, but WHO officials said between 500,000 and 1.5 million people had been infected in the country. |
| The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has since spread to more than 20 countries in the region. | The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has since spread to more than 20 countries in the region. |
| At the same time there has been a steep rise in levels of microcephaly - babies born with abnormally small heads - and the rare nervous system disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome. | At the same time there has been a steep rise in levels of microcephaly - babies born with abnormally small heads - and the rare nervous system disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome. |
| The link between the virus and these disorders has not been confirmed, but Dr Chan said it was "strongly suspected" and was "deeply alarming". | The link between the virus and these disorders has not been confirmed, but Dr Chan said it was "strongly suspected" and was "deeply alarming". |
| And she warned the situation could yet deteriorate as "this year's El Nino weather patterns are expected to increase mosquito populations greatly in many areas". | And she warned the situation could yet deteriorate as "this year's El Nino weather patterns are expected to increase mosquito populations greatly in many areas". |
| The BBC's David Shukman, reporting from Recife in north-east Brazil, said doctors were "overwhelmed" by cases of microcephaly. | |
| One hospital in the city had gone from dealing with an average of five cases a year to 300 in the past six months. | One hospital in the city had gone from dealing with an average of five cases a year to 300 in the past six months. |
| Emergency team | Emergency team |
| Earlier, doctors writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association said Zika had "explosive pandemic potential" and said the WHO's failure to act swiftly on Ebola probably cost thousands of lives. | Earlier, doctors writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association said Zika had "explosive pandemic potential" and said the WHO's failure to act swiftly on Ebola probably cost thousands of lives. |
| In a statement to the executive board meeting of the WHO, Dr Chan said: "The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty. | In a statement to the executive board meeting of the WHO, Dr Chan said: "The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty. |
| "Questions abound - we need to get some answers quickly. | "Questions abound - we need to get some answers quickly. |
| "For all these reasons, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee. | "For all these reasons, I have decided to convene an Emergency Committee. |
| "I am asking the Committee for advice on the appropriate level of international concern and for recommended measures that should be undertaken in affected countries and elsewhere." | "I am asking the Committee for advice on the appropriate level of international concern and for recommended measures that should be undertaken in affected countries and elsewhere." |
| Vaccine | |
| Officials from the US National Institute of Health said they had two potential Zika vaccines in development. | |
| One that is based on an experimental West Nile vaccine could be repurposed for Zika and enter clinical trials by the end of 2016, Dr Anthony Fauci from NIH said. | |
| He said talks were already taking place with pharmaceutical companies, but a vaccine would not be widely available for several years. | |
| Meanwhile Dr Anne Schuchat, from the Centers for Disease Control confirmed there had been 31 cases of Zika in the country - all linked to travel to the affected areas. | |
| Dr Carissa Etienne, the regional-director for the WHO Pan American Health Organization, said the link between the abnormalities and Zika had not been confirmed. | Dr Carissa Etienne, the regional-director for the WHO Pan American Health Organization, said the link between the abnormalities and Zika had not been confirmed. |
| But she added: "We cannot tolerate the prospect of more babies being born with neurological and other malformations and more people facing the threat of paralysis." | But she added: "We cannot tolerate the prospect of more babies being born with neurological and other malformations and more people facing the threat of paralysis." |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |
| What is the Zika virus: | What is the Zika virus: |
| Zika: What you need to know | Zika: What you need to know |
| 'The worst day of my life' | 'The worst day of my life' |