Between 1 January 2007 and 9 March 2016, a total of 52 countries and territories have reported autochthonous (local) transmission or indication of transmission of Zika virus (41 since 1 January 2015). The Philippines is the latest to report autochthonous transmission of Zika virus. Five of these countries and territories reported a Zika virus outbreak that is now over. In addition, three countries have reported locally acquired infection in the absence of any known mosquito vectors, probably through sexual transmission.
The geographical distribution of Zika virus has steadily widened since the virus was first detected in the Americas in 2014. Autochthonous Zika virus transmission has been reported in 31 countries and territories of this region.
So far an increase in microcephaly and other neonatal malformations has only been reported in Brazil and French Polynesia, although two cases linked to a stay in Brazil were detected in the United States of America and Slovenia. Reported cases of microcephaly and/or congenital malformation in Colombia are under investigation.
In the context of Zika virus circulation, nine countries or territories have reported an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and/or laboratory confirmation of a Zika virus infection among GBS cases.
A recently published cohort study in Brazil shows an increased risk of microcephaly and other congenital abnormalities associated with a Zika virus infection during pregnancy and provides further information to support the possible causal relationship between Zika virus and microcephaly and other congenital abnormalities.
Read the entire WHO situation report HERE
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Show me the money!
Is that all there is? First sell the fear, then wait for the response and then ask for more research money. The fact is the Brazilian health ministry and WHO and others have yet to present any scientifically credible evidence to support their conclusion about a direct link between the Zika virus and microcephaly. They found some correlations or potential associations or may have or likely connected or strongly suggests and compelling evidence?
Then the media and WHO threw up their hands and are yelling, danger, danger, “Mosquito.” Correlation and using adjectives is not a causation. The good researchers said their study, published in the Journal Cell Stem Cell,that their tests did not prove directly that Zika causes microcephaly. The news folks are not reporting the facts correctly.
Why haven’t they also shown up in proportional numbers in other countries hit hard by Zika, such as Colombia? How many normal babies also have the Zika virus? This Virus has been around for 40 years or more.
The evidence linking Zika to microcephaly is circumstantial. The real reason may be a case of mercury or another toxin poisoning. Most of Brazil’s microcephaly cases are in the northeast. Brazilian love eating fish and gold mining, and off shore drilling. Check and worry about your water systems, rivers and food supplies….more
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