UN health agency warns more cases of Zika expected with further geographic spread

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said the latest update on Zika virus is 'alarming,' with more cases expected in the coming months in a larger geographic area, and warned that modes of transion now include sexual intercourse as well as mosquito bites.

Since this emergency committee on Zika virus first met on 1 February, substantial new clinical and epidemiological research has strengthened the association between Zika infection and the occurrence of fetal malformations and neurological disorders, Margaret Chan, the Director-General of WHO, told reporters at a press conference following the second meeting of the committee.

She highlighted that the geographical distribution of the disease is wider, the risk group is broader, and imported cases of Zika have been reported from every region in the world.

Local transion has now been reported in 31 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this region, cases of dengue, which is carried by the same mosquito species as Zika, typically increase during the rainy season, which lasts from January to May. We can expect to see more cases and further geographical spread, Dr. Chan warned.