WHO declares health emergency over Zika

A virus that many people do not realize that had contacted it put on alert almost a billion people. It's Zika, a virus first identified in 1947 in Africa that now is spreading rapidly in America. World Health Organization warns of a possible epidemic. Manifesting as a simple cold or in many cases with no manifestation, the virus affects fetuses in countries in South America and Central Europe, such as Brazil, Colombia or El Salvador.  Zika is transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquito and spreads rapidly in Latin America, but it is unknown whether this species of mosquitoes that are found in Europe can be carriers of the virus.

Zika virus outbreak now threatens nearly 1 billion inhabitants of the American continent. Infections were reported in 21 of the 55 states of America. The outbreak is also powerful in South America, with 15 countries in the region being severely affected. North America is also on alert, the US authorities warning population, especially pregnant women to avoid traveling in countries that have been seriously affected.

Such recommendations were made by the World Health Organization, for all people traveling to affected areas. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Disease Control writes in the latest report that currently there were no reported cases of infection with Zika in Europe, but the risk exists, as long as people are forced to travel to the mentioned areas.  The regions that are most at risk are Madeira, Reunion, the Canary Islands and the Azores, because of the proximity of South American countries.