Zika virus outbreak
Zika virus was first identified in rhesus monkeys in the Zika forest near the shore of Lake Victoria in Uganda in 1947. The virus was identified when researches were studying yellow fever at that time. Researches had put the monkey up on a tree, in a cage, as bait for mosquitoes. Tests of the animal’s blood turned up an unknown virus, which also turned up in mosquitoes in the same forest.
The Zika virus was later identified in humans in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania in 1952.
For many years, sporadic cases of Zika virus in humans were detected in Africa and southern Asia. Some cases of Zika virus were found in Asia in 1950 and in Pakistan in 1977-78.
In recent times, the first outbreak of Zika virus was identified in 2007, in Yap. Since 2013, cases and outbreaks of the disease have been reported from the Western Pacific, the Americas and Africa.
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2015 Outbreak
Zika virus is relatively unknown till 2015. It originated in Africa and made its way to a series of tiny islands in Micronesia. Then it bounced through the Pacific Ocean to Easter Island, off the coast of Chile. From there, it was on to Brazil. The recent outbreak of Zika virus began in April 2015 in Brazil. It subsequently spread to other countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The World Health Organization predicts that the Zika virus could spread the majority of the Americas by the end of 2016. WHO estimates that Zika virus could affect 4 million people by end of 2016. As of February 2016, the virus has spread in more than 20 countries since its April 2015 outbreak.
The Zika virus is mainly spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and Aedes albopictus mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is commonly found throughout the the tropical and subtropical Americas. The Aedes albopictus mosquito has been widespread up to the Great Lakes area of the United States.
The Zika virus doesn't seem to harm most of its victims. However, there is increasing evidence that it causes serious damage to the brains of fetuses and in rare causes, neurological problems in adults.
In early 2016, a number of countries have issued travel warnings.
The virus was detected in the United States, Denmark and Portugal.
Local transmission of Zika virus
Local transmission of Zika virus is reported in the following countries. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika virus, spreading it to people.
Americas
- Barbados
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, US territory
- Costa Rica
- Curacao
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- French Guiana
- Guadeloupe
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Saint Martin
- Suriname
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Venezuela
Oceania/Pacific Islands
- American Samoa
- Samoa
- Tonga
Africa
Facts
- Zika virus outbreak in Brazil in May 2015
- 1.5 million people affected in over 20 countries, as of January 2016
- The virus was recently found in at least 24 countries. At least 30 cases were reported in the United States, as of February 1, 2016
See Also
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