At the beginning of 2015, there were few people that had heard of the Zika Virus. Those who had heard of it were not concerned about the impact the virus had on their daily lives. It was easily mistaken by the common flu, passing through the body’s system within a week. As scientists studied Zika, they discovered the severity of the long-term effects of the virus. By August, the Zika Virus was on every radio station, internet sites, and TV news broadcasts. Overnight, the World Health Organization declared the Zika Virus as an epidemic that required immediate solutions. The greatest threat is to unborn babies. The news left everyone in a confused state. What exactly is the Zika virus, where did it come from and why do we have to be worried?
Zika was first discovered in 1947 first identified in Rhesus monkeys. The Zika virus was named after the Zika forest in Uganda. The first human case was detected in 1952. Prior to 2007 only a handful of cases were documented. In 2015 Brazil confirmed its first case of the infection. Zika is a …show more content…
The dengue virus is similar to the Zika virus. They belong to the same viral family, called the Flaviviridae, and are transmitted by the same mosquito. Prevention is the key to avoid Zika. Mothers should not travel where there is Zika, they should use a mosquito repellant or wear long sleeves. Use air conditioner or mesh window screens, you could also sleep under a mosquito net and empty standing/still water. It is recommended to postponing having kids until after the Zika virus vaccine is available which will be in about two years. Congress has yet to pass a bill that would allocate $1.1 billion to fighting Zika. As McNeil Jr. mentions in the Zika the emerging epidemic:
“For many people-certainly many Americans-the scare may be brief: a