WHO issues list of countries with risk of Zika outbreak
As the Zika virus is expected to spread to Europe this summer, The World Health Organization has released a list with countries at risk
Global health officials have urged for ‘preparedness’, as the Zika virus continues its spreading towards Europe. Countries visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year at a moderate risk, while health experts warn that the spreading of the virus is “as real as it can be”.
Professor Jimmy Whitworth from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine declared:
“The main mosquito for Zika, Aedes aegypti, is only found in Madeira and around the Black Sea.
“But the another Aedes albopictus is more widespread and is capable of transmitting Zika, although not very efficiently.
“Countries in southern Europe, including France and Italy, need to be especially vigilant.
“It is important for holidaymakers to heed public health advice while abroad, including taking all the necessary precautions to avoid being bitten.
“This is especially so for pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant as there is aproven link with microcephaly and other birth defects.”
Pregnant women are currently advised to postpone or cancel non-essential travel to risky countries until they give birth. Also, women should avoid pregnancy for 28 days after returning from such areas, as microcephaly can cause serious birth defects.
Zika symptoms include fever, red and sore eyes, headaches, rashes and joint pain. The nervous Guillain-Barre syndrome has also been observed in affected people.
As there is no vaccine against the virus, health officials advise people to avoid mosquito bites, use repellents and keep windows and doors closed during their trips. Water sources should be protected too.
The list of countries in Europe and surrounding areas assessed for risk of Zika outbreak is:
High risk
Madeira The Black Sea
Coastal area of Georgia The Black Sea
Coastal area of Russia
Moderate risk
France
Italy
Malta
Croatia
Israel
Spain
Monaco
San Marino
Turkey
Greece
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Romania
Slovenia
Georgia
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Low risk
Portugal
Russia
Azerbaijan
Cyprus
Macedonia
Belgium
Germany
Luxembourg
Ukraine
Hungary
Austria
Serbia
Moldova
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
Denmark
Sweden
Czech Republic
Andorra
Norway
Slovakia
Liechtenstein
Very low risk
Armenia
Poland
Ireland
Lithuania
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Turkmenistan
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
No risk
Finland
Estonia
Iceland
Latvia
Belarus
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