Inter-agency Zika coordination meeting
Geneva
The latest Zika situation report can be found here.
Background:
The last official report received dated 1 December 2015, indicated 56,318 suspected cases of Zika virus disease in 29 States, with autochthonous transmission since April 2015.
As of 30 January 2016, 25 countries and territories in the Americas have reported confirmed Zika virus cases through International Health Regulations channels. In addition, viral circulation has been documented in Asia and the Pacific Islands. Imported cases have been reported in the United States of America, Europe and non-endemic countries of Asia while the Maldives, Thailand and Tonga have reported viral circulation.
On 1 February, Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General convened an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee to gather advice and after a review of the evidence, the Committee advised that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constitutes an “extraordinary event” and a public health threat to other parts of the world.
Based on this review and advice, Dr. Chan declared this a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations.
WHO will be leading the international response and a strategy is being developed to guide the international response to the spread of Zika virus infection and its possible association with birth defects (microcephaly) and neurologic conditions (Guillain-Barré Syndrome).