– More research, urgent action –
The WHO meet, which included representatives from the Americas region where Zika is spreading rapidly, sought to prioritise areas for further research as public health officials seek to understand a virus which previously caused little concern.
Zika was first discovered in Uganda in 1947 and was only known to cause moderate cold and flu-like symptoms, but rising global anxiety about the virus has been driven by its presumed connection to multiple neurological disorders.
Because the current outbreak has marked a clear shift in the nature of the virus, WHO said “particular attention should be given to generating additional data on the genetic sequences and clinical effect of different Zika virus strains,” in hopes of understanding what has changed.
Chan stressed that proving the causal link between Zika and certain neurological conditions was vital.
But, she added, “strong public health action should not wait for definitive scientific proof.”
Zika is spread among humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is found in 130 countries. But recent evidence appears to indicate that it can also be sexually transmitted by men carrying the virus.
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