Twenty Five percent of Nigeria’s
population have tested positive to the
dreaded Zika virus currently ravaging
the South American continent.
The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac
Folorunso Adewole who made the
revelation while defending the 2016
budget of the Ministry of Health said
the virus is not taken serious because
Nigeria is not interested in it.
He said: “I want to say that Zika has
been with us since 1954. About 25% of
Nigerians are positive to Zika virus but
what has happened is that it has done
nothing to us.”
Zika virus according to the Centre for
Disease Control, spread to people
through mosquito bites.
The most common symptoms of Zika
virus disease are fever, rash, joint
pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms
lasting from several days to a week.
Severe disease requiring
hospitalization is uncommon.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO) issued an alert
regarding the first confirmed Zika
virus infection in Brazil.
The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of
Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with
birth defects and poor pregnancy
outcomes.
In response, CDC has issued travel
notices for people traveling to regions
and certain countries where Zika virus
transmission is ongoing.
The World Health Organisation (WHO)
said the incubation period (the time
from exposure to symptoms) of Zika
virus disease is not clear, but is likely
to be a few days. The symptoms are
similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin
rashes,
conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain,
malaise, and headache. These
symptoms are usually mild and last for
2-7 days.
During large outbreaks in French
Polynesia and Brazil in 2013 and 2015
respectively, national health
authorities reported potential
neurological and auto-immune
complications of Zika virus disease.
Recently in Brazil, local health
authorities have observed an increase
in Zika virus infections in the general
public as well as an increase in babies
born with microcephaly in northeast
Brazil. Agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding an increasing
body of evidence about the link
between Zika virus and microcephaly.
However, more investigation is needed
before we understand the relationship
between microcephaly in babies and
the Zika virus. Other potential causes
are also being investigated.
population have tested positive to the
dreaded Zika virus currently ravaging
the South American continent.
The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac
Folorunso Adewole who made the
revelation while defending the 2016
budget of the Ministry of Health said
the virus is not taken serious because
Nigeria is not interested in it.
He said: “I want to say that Zika has
been with us since 1954. About 25% of
Nigerians are positive to Zika virus but
what has happened is that it has done
nothing to us.”
Zika virus according to the Centre for
Disease Control, spread to people
through mosquito bites.
The most common symptoms of Zika
virus disease are fever, rash, joint
pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms
lasting from several days to a week.
Severe disease requiring
hospitalization is uncommon.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO) issued an alert
regarding the first confirmed Zika
virus infection in Brazil.
The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of
Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with
birth defects and poor pregnancy
outcomes.
In response, CDC has issued travel
notices for people traveling to regions
and certain countries where Zika virus
transmission is ongoing.
The World Health Organisation (WHO)
said the incubation period (the time
from exposure to symptoms) of Zika
virus disease is not clear, but is likely
to be a few days. The symptoms are
similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin
rashes,
conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain,
malaise, and headache. These
symptoms are usually mild and last for
2-7 days.
During large outbreaks in French
Polynesia and Brazil in 2013 and 2015
respectively, national health
authorities reported potential
neurological and auto-immune
complications of Zika virus disease.
Recently in Brazil, local health
authorities have observed an increase
in Zika virus infections in the general
public as well as an increase in babies
born with microcephaly in northeast
Brazil. Agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding an increasing
body of evidence about the link
between Zika virus and microcephaly.
However, more investigation is needed
before we understand the relationship
between microcephaly in babies and
the Zika virus. Other potential causes
are also being investigated.
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