Zika Virus Warning: Cases In Europe Confirmed, Many Countries At Risk

zika virus carried by aedes aegypti FotoshopTofs - Pixabay

Zika virus is one of the dangerous mosquito-borne illnesses that have affected a number of people in different countries. Authorities have now identified which countries are at risk of this dangerous disease.

The increasing number of Zika virus cases in Europe has led health authorities to identify which countries are at risk. This information will prove invaluable to travelers.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that can cause infection and sometimes considered by a number of people as not harmful, as per Express’ report. However, there has been evidence that Zika virus can be dangerous to pregnant women. Previous studies have linked birth defects, like an enlarged head of the baby, to the virus.

According to NHS, symptoms of the Zika virus can be mild, with some patients not exhibiting the symptoms at all. It could also last from 2 to 7 days. Some of the symptoms that you need to watch out for would include rash, itching, fever, joint pain or muscle pain, red-eye, or pain behind the eyes. It is recommended that those who visited any of the “risk” countries and who experience the symptoms must consult their doctor immediately.

One thing that doctors would like to rule out is malaria. This is why it is best to have a same-day consultation, as per the recommendation of health practitioners.

Recent reports showed that there are three people who contracted the disease in Europe. In one town in southern France, the three cases were said to have been acquired locally and not something brought in by travelers. The said cases’ occurrence happened all at about the same time.

What alarmed Professor James Logan, one of the department of disease control head in London, was that there is a difference when travelers bring disease into a country, as compared to when the transmission occurs locally. He also said, “We now have a new exotic disease in Europe.”

Zika is transmitted by the same species of mosquito that spreads dengue. This is the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, known for its white bands in the abdomen and in the legs.

Here is a list of countries that are at risk, as per the compilation of Express:”