Background
Zika virus is a growing concern – it is endemic in parts of Africa, has been reported in South East Asia and is becoming established in the Americas and Caribbean. Since its detection in Brazil in 2015, it has emerged as a major public health challenge in the Americas. As of 16 June 20161, 60 countries and territories report continuing mosquito-borne transmission of which:
46 countries are experiencing a first outbreak of Zika virus since 2015, with no previous evidence of circulation, and with ongoing transmission by mosquitos.
14 countries have reported evidence of Zika virus transmission between 2007 and 2014, with ongoing transmission.
While the virus is known to cause mild illness (characterized by conjunctivitis, fever, rash and joint pain) many of the countries affected by Zika virus are also reporting potential neurological and auto-immune complications related to Zika virus infection with increased reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and birth defects including microcephaly.
The wide geographical range of the mosquito vector of the virus and the emerging complications of infection call for a global response. Based on the advice of the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO), the WHO Director-General declared the clusters of microcephaly cases and the other neurological disorders in endemic areas as constituting a public health emergency of international concern on 1 February 2016.
Further to this declaration, WHO activated an emergency Incident Management System to coordinate the international response. This has included the development of a global Zika Strategic Response Plan2 encompassing surveillance, response activities and emphasising the urgent need for research to better characterize Zika virus infection to respond to this public health emergency.