WHO: Risk of global health crisis called Zika

(Baonghean.vn) - Recently, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, called for a plan to protect thousands of babies around the world from the dangers of the Zika virus. WHO will establish a health system to care for, treat and support babies infected with this virus.

Zika virus can cause brain shrinkage in newborns, causing the baby to be born with microcephaly.

Zika is a particularly dangerous virus that threatens newborns worldwide. When pregnant mothers are infected, the Zika virus can cause fetal deformities and brain shrinkage in newborns.

Ms Chan said it was still impossible to predict how far the Zika virus would spread, but if it spread beyond Latin America and the Caribbean, the world would face a serious health crisis.

Zika virus is an infectious virus transmitted by mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever. The symptoms of the patient are similar to dengue fever. This virus originated in Africa and has now spread to many other continents.

Even countries near Vietnam such as Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia have had cases of infection with this virus. The most dangerous thing is that pregnant women infected with Zika can give birth to children with microcephaly.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan calls for protection of newborns vulnerable to Zika virus.

According to a study from Brazil, out of 2,212 cases of mothers infected with the virus, 863 children were born with the disease, accounting for 39%. According to Anthony Costello, director of maternal and child health at WHO, if this rate is correct globally, there are currently 2,500 babies with brain damage and microcephaly.

Children with the disease will have hearing loss and poor vision. WHO is developing specific plans to care for children affected by the Zika virus.

Thanh Hien

(according to The Guardian)