Health News
-- The mosquito-borne Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in the Americas, the head of the World Health Organization says.
“The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty,” Margaret Chan, MD, told the WHO executive board on Jan. 28.
The agency predicts 3 million to 4 million people could be infected with the virus this year in the Americas. It’s suspected of causing microcephaly in babies of infected pregnant women, but a cause-and-effect link hasn't been definitely established. Microcephaly causes devastating, sometimes fatal brain damage, and it can result in miscarriage or stillbirth.
Experts previously warned the virus is likely to spread in the United States.
Doctors have seencases of it in travelers coming back from the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Zika has prompted a CDC travel warning for areas of those parts of the world, with the agency cautioning pregnant women to "consider postponing travel" to 24 countries and territories.
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