Brazilian Zika outbreak followed upsurge in air travel
The first genome analysis of the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, which has been potentially linked to the birth condition microcephaly, offers new information on how and when the virus might have entered the Americas. Ref. Source 8t.
Zika virus and health systems in Brazil: From unknown to a menace
A new article examines the Zika Virus epidemic in Brazil and the Americas. On February 1, 2016, a World Health Organization (WHO) emergency committee declared clusters of birth defects suspected of being linked to an epidemic of Zika virus in the Americas as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Ref. Source 2m.
I find it so strange that the media isn't highlighting more about the rise in Zika cases in Brazil. Maybe they don't want to affect contractual obligations for the Olympics but I hope the athletes and those involved get themselves fully tested before they return home.
Low risk of dengue infection predicted for foreign visitors to Rio Olympics, shows study
Three months before the opening of the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, a group of researchers used a mathematical model to calculate the risk of dengue acquisition by the 400,000-odd foreign visitors expected to attend. This model was used with success during the last FIFA World Cup, in 2014. Once again a very low number of dengue cases among foreign visitors to the Olympics is likely, according the study. Ref. Source 2y.
Traces of Zika Found in Asian tiger mosquito in Brazil
In a recent test of Asian tiger mosquitoes collected in Brazil, researchers found fragments of Zika virus RNA, raising concerns that it may be carried by species other than Zika's known primary vector, the yellow fever mosquito. The research does not conclude that the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) can transmit Zika to humans, but it highlights the need for deeper research into additional potential vectors for the virus. Ref. Source 7c.
Zika spread secrets tracked through new gene sequencing study. Scientists studying the genetics of Zika virus in Brazil and beyond has provided a new understanding of the disease and its rapid spread through space and time. The research has significant public health implications and has the potential to improve responses to future outbreaks. Ref. Source 9p.