WHO advises women on Zika protection, no travel advisories

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised women on how to protect themselves from the Zika virus especially if they were pregnant.

The WHO however reassured that most women in areas affected by the Aedes mosquito-borne virus would give birth to ``normal infants’’.


The www.cdc.gov/zika/ defined Zika as `` a disease caused by Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.

``The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes),’’ the CDC said.

In the WHO’s advice, women in areas with the virus were told to protect themselves, especially during pregnancy, by covering up against mosquitoes.

They should practice safe sex through the use of condoms though more evidence was needed to confirm whether sex commonly transmits the virus.

The world health body also advised pregnant women in general, including those who developed symptoms of Zika infection to see their healthcare providers for close monitoring.

The agency which had declared a health emergency over Zika on Feb. 1, did not recommend travel restrictions but suggested women should consult their doctors or authorities if travelling.

Of recent, the Zika virus had triggered concerns because of its possible link between the infection in pregnancy and microcephaly.

Microcephaly is a rare birth defect in which infants were born with abnormally small heads that could be accompanied by developmental problems.

Recently, Brazil has been the worst hit country in a Zika outbreak sweeping the Americas and now present in more than 30 countries.

Investigations are being conducted on a potential link between Zika infections and more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly.

Researchers have identified evidence of Zika infection in 17 of these cases, either in the baby or in the mother, but have not confirmed that the virus could cause microcephaly.