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| W.H.O. Cites Low to Moderate Risk of Zika’s Imminent Spread to Europe | W.H.O. Cites Low to Moderate Risk of Zika’s Imminent Spread to Europe |
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| GENEVA — The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that there was a low-to-moderate risk of the mosquito-borne Zika virus spreading to Europe in the spring and summer, as the group’s general director warned that researchers were increasingly concerned about the threat posed by the disease. | GENEVA — The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that there was a low-to-moderate risk of the mosquito-borne Zika virus spreading to Europe in the spring and summer, as the group’s general director warned that researchers were increasingly concerned about the threat posed by the disease. |
| An assessment by the global health organization’s European office found that the likelihood of a breakout varied widely between countries, and it identified three areas that are most vulnerable: parts of Georgia and Russia on the Black Sea’s northeast coast, and the Portuguese island of Madeira, all of which have populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito mainly responsible for spreading the virus. | An assessment by the global health organization’s European office found that the likelihood of a breakout varied widely between countries, and it identified three areas that are most vulnerable: parts of Georgia and Russia on the Black Sea’s northeast coast, and the Portuguese island of Madeira, all of which have populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito mainly responsible for spreading the virus. |
| The disease can cause severe defects in babies and neurological disorders, and its rapid spread in Latin America, along with the W.H.O.’s decision in February to declare it a public health emergency of international concern, prompted the risk assessment for Europe. | The disease can cause severe defects in babies and neurological disorders, and its rapid spread in Latin America, along with the W.H.O.’s decision in February to declare it a public health emergency of international concern, prompted the risk assessment for Europe. |
| As of early May, the W.H.O. had reported that the disease, which can also be transmitted sexually, had been found in 58 countries; that included 17 in Europe as of late April. | As of early May, the W.H.O. had reported that the disease, which can also be transmitted sexually, had been found in 58 countries; that included 17 in Europe as of late April. |
| “The more we learn about Zika, the more worried we get about it,” Dr. Margaret Chan, the W.H.O. director general, told reporters in Geneva during a briefing on Tuesday. | “The more we learn about Zika, the more worried we get about it,” Dr. Margaret Chan, the W.H.O. director general, told reporters in Geneva during a briefing on Tuesday. |
| The W.H.O. said that 18 European countries, mostly concentrated around the Mediterranean, faced a moderate risk of local outbreaks of Zika if no action was taken to address the threat. The risk was identified as low or very low in an additional 31 countries. Five Northern European countries — Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland and Latvia — were judged to face no threat. | The W.H.O. said that 18 European countries, mostly concentrated around the Mediterranean, faced a moderate risk of local outbreaks of Zika if no action was taken to address the threat. The risk was identified as low or very low in an additional 31 countries. Five Northern European countries — Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland and Latvia — were judged to face no threat. |
| The organization based its assessment on responses from each country to a questionnaire and a range of variables, such as the presence of the two species of mosquito known to spread the disease, climate, air and sea connections, population density, and urbanization. | The organization based its assessment on responses from each country to a questionnaire and a range of variables, such as the presence of the two species of mosquito known to spread the disease, climate, air and sea connections, population density, and urbanization. |
| Other parts of Europe have Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which is why their risk is considered moderate, rather than nonexistent. Aedes albopictus, also called the Asian tiger mosquito, is known to transmit Zika, but it has never been shown to cause large outbreaks. | Other parts of Europe have Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which is why their risk is considered moderate, rather than nonexistent. Aedes albopictus, also called the Asian tiger mosquito, is known to transmit Zika, but it has never been shown to cause large outbreaks. |
| That may be because the virus does not reproduce as well inside the mosquito, or because the mosquito also bites other animals, while Aedes aegypti almost exclusively feeds on humans. | That may be because the virus does not reproduce as well inside the mosquito, or because the mosquito also bites other animals, while Aedes aegypti almost exclusively feeds on humans. |
| The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control had recorded 452 cases of Zika as of April 29, all of them imported by travelers, and as of mid-April, health authorities had not detected any cases of local infection in the 53 countries covered by the W.H.O.’s European office. | The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control had recorded 452 cases of Zika as of April 29, all of them imported by travelers, and as of mid-April, health authorities had not detected any cases of local infection in the 53 countries covered by the W.H.O.’s European office. |
| The assessment also took into account the capacity of countries to contain any outbreak of the virus, looking at their measures to control mosquito populations, clinical surveillance, laboratory capacity and emergency risk communication. Three-quarters of the W.H.O.’s European member countries said their ability to control an outbreak was good or very good. | |
| “There are countries and territories at high or moderate likelihood of transmission that have measures in place to prevent or rapidly contain local Zika virus transmission, which lower their overall risk for an outbreak,” Nedret Emiroglu, the W.H.O.’s European director of communicable diseases and health security, said in a statement. | “There are countries and territories at high or moderate likelihood of transmission that have measures in place to prevent or rapidly contain local Zika virus transmission, which lower their overall risk for an outbreak,” Nedret Emiroglu, the W.H.O.’s European director of communicable diseases and health security, said in a statement. |
| The organization said it would convene a regional meeting in Portugal in late June to examine the findings of its assessment and to determine what is needed to plug the gaps in its capacity to contain an outbreak. | The organization said it would convene a regional meeting in Portugal in late June to examine the findings of its assessment and to determine what is needed to plug the gaps in its capacity to contain an outbreak. |