ZIKA VIRUS UPDATE AUGUST 28, 2016
Volume 29 Number 2
ISSN 1059-6518
Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov)
World Health Organization (who.int)
Latest Zika Situation Report – 25, August 2016
Microcephaly, Guillain-Barré Sydrome, and congenital anomalies
Summary
- An Emergency Committee was convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) on 1 February 2016. Following the advice of the Committee, the Director-General announced the recent cluster of microcephaly and other neurologic disorders reported in Brazil to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
- The Emergency Committee agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven. All experts agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better.
- As of 25 August 2016, a total of 70 countries have reported autochthonous circulation of Zika virus. It has been found in all of Central and South America, except for Chile.
- 11 countries have reported evidence of person-to-person transmission.
- The geographical distribution of Zika virus has been steadily increasing since it was first detected in the Americas in 2015. Further spread to countries within the geographical range of competent disease vectors — Aedes mosquitoes — is considered likely.
- 18 countries have reported an increase in the incidence of cases of microcephaly and/or Guillain-Barré syndrome concomitantly with a Zika virus outbreak.
The global prevention and control strategy launched by WHO is based on surveillance, response activities, and research.
