Zika has caused international alarm, with the World Health
Organisation declaring it a global public health emergency in February 2016. According to the WHO this is what's definitely known about Zika Virus:
The Zika virus, which has been linked to an increase in Brazil of a birth defect called microcephaly, was first identified in a Ugandan forest in 1947. Scientists now suspect that it is endemic across most of the African continent. Which raises the question: why aren’t we seeing a similar surge of microcephalic babies in Africa?
The WHO said though no systematic surveillance has been in place for tracking Zika virus in Africa, sporadic cases have been reported on the continent for many years. The agency added that the virus may be endemic in many parts of the continent where Aedes aegypti, the main vector of the disease, is prevalent.
Though it's possible that some portion of the African population may have some immunity, the strain spreading rapidly in the Americas may not be known to African populations and could lead to a more acute disease, the WHO warned. "Vigilance must also be maintained."
In the current outbreak, Cape Verde was the first African nation to report cases, more than 7,000 of them from October through December 2015. However, the WHO said that, based on available data, the number of cases has been declining since December. A Colombian man has become South Africa's first recorded case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The businessman was found to have the disease during a visit to Johannesburg, according to South Africa's health minister Aaron Motsoaledi in February 2016. No other case has been reported in the region.
All countries in the African region are at risk for Zika virus transmission, because A aegypti mosquitoes are widely distributed and transmit several arboviruses on the continent. The WHO said the mosquito has adapted to and flourishes in urban settings found in many African cities, where poor water storage and drainage conditions can increase breeding sites for the mosquitoes.
African countries vary in their access to healthcare and disease detection and management, and ones with strong health systems are likely to cope better with a Zika outbreak, according to the WHO. The agency looked at the vulnerability of 47 countries in the region based on composite measures of hazards, vulnerabilities, and lack of coping capacity.
The WHO said all of the countries are at some risk, but it added that nearly half (20) of the countries were categorized as high risk, with Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Madagascar, and South Sudan in the top five. The five countries with the lowest risk were South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Mauritius, and Ghana.
The agency urged countries to take actions based on its risk assessment. For example, it said high-risk countries should be prioritized for health system support and vector control investments, and lower-risk countries should receive communication and general advisory support.
The most likely explanation for why Zika hasn’t caused as many problems in Africa as it has in Brazil also provides the most hope. Africans have had decades to build up a resistance to a disease that most South Americans are encountering for the first time.
References
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/02/zika-outbreak-expands-who-assesses-threat-africa
http://www.who.int/topics/zika/en/
http://time.com/4219240/zika-africa-origins-microcephaly-vaccine/
http://news.sky.com/story/1645381/south-africa-confirms-first-zika-virus-case
- Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
- People with Zika virus disease usually have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
- There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available.
- The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites.
The Zika virus, which has been linked to an increase in Brazil of a birth defect called microcephaly, was first identified in a Ugandan forest in 1947. Scientists now suspect that it is endemic across most of the African continent. Which raises the question: why aren’t we seeing a similar surge of microcephalic babies in Africa?
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| Is Africa at risk of a Zika Virus outbreak? |
The WHO said though no systematic surveillance has been in place for tracking Zika virus in Africa, sporadic cases have been reported on the continent for many years. The agency added that the virus may be endemic in many parts of the continent where Aedes aegypti, the main vector of the disease, is prevalent.
Though it's possible that some portion of the African population may have some immunity, the strain spreading rapidly in the Americas may not be known to African populations and could lead to a more acute disease, the WHO warned. "Vigilance must also be maintained."
In the current outbreak, Cape Verde was the first African nation to report cases, more than 7,000 of them from October through December 2015. However, the WHO said that, based on available data, the number of cases has been declining since December. A Colombian man has become South Africa's first recorded case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The businessman was found to have the disease during a visit to Johannesburg, according to South Africa's health minister Aaron Motsoaledi in February 2016. No other case has been reported in the region.
All countries in the African region are at risk for Zika virus transmission, because A aegypti mosquitoes are widely distributed and transmit several arboviruses on the continent. The WHO said the mosquito has adapted to and flourishes in urban settings found in many African cities, where poor water storage and drainage conditions can increase breeding sites for the mosquitoes.
African countries vary in their access to healthcare and disease detection and management, and ones with strong health systems are likely to cope better with a Zika outbreak, according to the WHO. The agency looked at the vulnerability of 47 countries in the region based on composite measures of hazards, vulnerabilities, and lack of coping capacity.
The WHO said all of the countries are at some risk, but it added that nearly half (20) of the countries were categorized as high risk, with Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic, Madagascar, and South Sudan in the top five. The five countries with the lowest risk were South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Mauritius, and Ghana.
The agency urged countries to take actions based on its risk assessment. For example, it said high-risk countries should be prioritized for health system support and vector control investments, and lower-risk countries should receive communication and general advisory support.
The most likely explanation for why Zika hasn’t caused as many problems in Africa as it has in Brazil also provides the most hope. Africans have had decades to build up a resistance to a disease that most South Americans are encountering for the first time.
References
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/02/zika-outbreak-expands-who-assesses-threat-africa
http://www.who.int/topics/zika/en/
http://time.com/4219240/zika-africa-origins-microcephaly-vaccine/
http://news.sky.com/story/1645381/south-africa-confirms-first-zika-virus-case
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