AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

Zika Virus: What We Now Know

Zika update: Developments in research & understanding of the virus

While Zika is a known virus that first surfaced decades ago, in the 1940s, this latest outbreak of the virus began roughly a year ago — April 2015 in Brazil.

Less than two weeks ago, we put together a compilation of [link url=”https://amuedge.com/zika-virus-what-we-know-right-now/” title=”what we knew about Zika virus then,“] and a lot has changed in relatively little time.

While some uncertainty still surrounds Zika virus and its potential impact across the globe, scientists, doctors and researchers have been putting together some of the puzzle pieces in recent weeks and some much-needed answers have turned up. Here are some of the latest developments and a summary of what we currently know about Zika virus:

Zika across the globe

The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes regular reports regarding Zika. In its [link url=”http://www.who.int/emergencies/zika-virus/situation-report/21-april-2016/en/” title=”most recent Zika situation report,“] the WHO reported Zika virus transmission in 66 countries and territories between January 1, 2007 and April 20, 2016. According to the WHO, 42 countries reported a first mosquito-borne outbreak of Zika virus somewhere between the start of 2015 and the present, with no previous evidence of transmission. An additional 17 countries reported mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission before 2015.

Of particular note is the fact that eight countries — Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal and the U.S. — have now reported transmission on the person-to-person level, as opposed to the more common reports of mosquito-borne transmission. The discovery of sexually transmitted Zika cases has raised the collective alarm considerably around the globe.

Recommended reading: [link url=”https://amuedge.com/zika-the-new-aids/” title=”Zika: the new AIDS?“]

Zika in the U.S. & U.S. Territories

As of April 20, 2016, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 891 confirmed Zika cases in U.S. states and territories, along with the following breakdowns of the most recent data:

Zika in the United States:

  • Number of travel-related Zika cases reported: 388
  • Number of locally acquired cases reported: 0
  • Total cases reported: 388
    • Pregnant women with confirmed cases: 33
    • Cases reported as sexually transmitted: 8
    • Reported cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome: 1
  • State with the most confirmed cases: Florida (84)

Zika in U.S. territories:

  • Number of travel-related Zika cases reported: 3
  • Number of locally acquired cases reported: 500
  • Total cases reported: 503
    • Pregnant women with confirmed cases: 48
    • Cases reported as sexually transmitted: n/a
    • Reported cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome: 4
  • Territory with the most confirmed cases: Puerto Rico (476)

Puerto Rico leads all U.S. states and territories with 476 confirmed Zika cases. Additionally, 95 percent of all known locally acquired cases of Zika in U.S. states and territories come from Puerto Rico. Florida leads all U.S. states with 84 confirmed Zika cases, followed by New York (60 reported cases), Texas (30), California (29), Pennsylvania (15), Georgia (13), Minnesota (13), and Illinois (12).

Hawaii, despite having a relatively low number of confirmed Zika cases (7), remains the only state to have an official emergency declaration in place for Zika. Hawaii Governor David Ige [link url=”http://bigislandnow.com/2016/04/12/governor-ige-extends-emergency-period-on-mosquito-borne-illnesses/” title=”extended the state’s emergency period for combating mosquito-borne illnesses“] in early April — a declaration that aims to free funds to help the island state combat the growing threat of multiple mosquito borne illnesses: dengue fever, Zika virus and chikungunya.

Recommended reading: [link url=”https://amuedge.com/saturday-guest-blog-zika-preparation-in-south-florida/” title=”Zika Preparation in South Florida“]

Zika and its connection to birth defects

After [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-finds-links-between-zika-virus-and-birth-defects/” title=”months of speculation“] and then also [link url=”https://amuedge.com/who-mounting-evidence-of-zika-virus-microcephaly-connection/” title=”mounting evidence“] of a connection between Zika and microcephaly, U.S. health officials did finally [link url=”http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/04/13/474112727/cdc-confirms-zika-is-the-cause-of-severe-brain-defects-at-birth” title=”confirm the link between Zika and the neurological disorder.”]

According to the [link url=”http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/microcephaly/basics/definition/con-20034823″ title=”Mayo Clinic”]: Microcephaly is a rare neurological condition in which an infant’s head is significantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age and sex. Sometimes detected at birth, microcephaly usually is the result of the brain developing abnormally in the womb or not growing as it should after birth.

After months of research and testing, a CDC review described the causal relationship between Zika and a severe form of microcephaly near the middle of April. Even more recently, a Seattle Children’s hospital expert took it a step further and reported that Zika virus is causing birth defects rarely seen before. Dr. William Dobyns said that [link url=”http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/brain-scans-show-full-horror-of-zika-defects-seattle-expert-says/” title=”Zika is causing birth defects so severe“] that some babies’ brains are shrinking to the point where their skulls are collapsing inside the womb.

Zika and links to other disorders

Now that the Zika-microcephaly connection is confirmed, scientists can turn some focus onto attempting to confirm links between Zika and other disorders. Thus far, there has been evidence of links between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), and other neurological disorders. GBS is a rare condition where a body’s immune system attacks its nerves, and its [link url=”http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20025832″ title=”exact cause is still unknown.“] ADEM is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain in a way that is [link url=”https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160411082335.htm” title=”similar to multiple sclerosis.“]

Recommended reading: [link url=”https://amuedge.com/the-zika-virus-dont-underestimate-the-threat/” title=”DON’T Underestimate the Threat“]

Zika funding in the U.S.

President Barack Obama’s [link url=”https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/22/letter-president-zika-virus” title=”$1.9 billion request“] to fund the U.S. battle against Zika remains stalled in Congress. The White House announced the [link url=”https://amuedge.com/the-battle-for-zika-funds-to-be-continued/” title=”shifting of $589 million in unused Ebola funds to combat Zika“] in mid-April, but many experts feel that more funds are needed to properly fight against the virus as the weather warms and mosquitos come out in full force. Various congressman, such as [link url=”http://wamc.org/post/sen-schumer-push-emergency-zika-funding#stream/0″ title=” Senator Charles Schumer“] and [link url=”http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/04/24/sen-nelson-pushes-full-zika-funding/83444840/” title=”Senator Bill Nelson,“] have applied pressure to other congressmen in recent days to fully fund the original $1.9 billion anti-Zika request.

Recommended reading: [link url=”https://amuedge.com/the-battle-for-zika-funds-to-be-continued/” title=”The Battle for Zika Funds“]

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