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The
Zika (ZEE'-ka) virus was first discovered in monkey in Uganda in 1947 -
its name comes from the Zika forest where it was first discovered.
It
is native mainly to tropical Africa, with outbreaks in Southeast Asia
and the Pacific Islands. It appeared in Brazil last year and has since
been seen in many Latin American countries and Caribbean islands.
HOW IS IT SPREAD?
It
is transmitted through bites from the same kind of mosquitoes that can
spread other tropical diseases, like dengue fever, chikungunya and
yellow fever.
It is not known to spread from person to person.
Investigators,
though, are exploring the possibility that the virus can be passed on
through sex - it was found in one man's semen in Tahiti.
There
are also reports of a man in Texas contracting the virus after having
sexual contact with an ill person who returned from a Zika-affected
country.
The World
Health Organisation says Zika is rapidly spreading in the Americas
because it is new to the region, people aren't immune to it, and the
Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries it is just about everywhere -
including along the southern United States.
Canada and Chile are the only places without this mosquito.
ARE THERE SYMPTOMS?
Experts think most people infected with Zika virus don't get sick.
And
those that do usually develop mild symptoms - fever, rash, joint pain,
and red eyes - which usually last no more than a week.
There
is no specific medicine and there hasn't been a vaccine developed for
it, which is the case for some other tropical illnesses that cause
periodic outbreaks.
HOW CAN ZIKA VIRUS SPREAD BE STOPPED?
Individuals
can protect themselves from mosquito bites by using insect repellents,
and wearing long sleeves and long pants - especially during daylight,
when the mosquitoes tend to be most active, health officials say.
Eliminating breeding spots and controlling mosquito populations can help prevent the spread of the virus.
Credit: UkMail
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