LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — World number two Dustin Johnson, who won his first major title at the US Open Golf Championship in June, won’t play in the Rio Olympics because of concerns over the Zika virus. In a statement released to the Golf Channel on Friday by his agent, David Winkle of Hambric Sports Management, Johnson said his hopes of expanding his family with fiancee Paulina Gretzky meant it would be “irresponsible” to risk […]
Tag: Zika
Zika infections in Puerto Rico increasing steadily: officials
(REUTERS) Zika infections in Puerto Rico appear to be increasing rapidly, top U.S. health officials said on Friday, raising concerns for dozens if not hundreds of cases of microcephaly. Puerto Rican health officials on Friday reported that 1,726 people in the U.S. commonwealth have been infected with Zika, including a total of 191 pregnant women. That is up from a total of 1,501 total infections and 182 infections in pregnant women a week ago. […]
El Salvador confirms first Zika-linked birth defect
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AFP) — El Salvador on Tuesday confirmed its first case of microcephaly in a baby that was linked to a Zika infection in the mother. Microcephaly is a birth defect that causes an abnormally small head and deformed brain. Health Minister Violeta Menjivar said the infant was born in April to a family living in the country’s central La Paz province, and the Zika connection was proved “a short while ago.” […]
U.S. researcher contracts Zika during experiment: media
(REUTERS) A United States laboratory researcher was back at work after contracting the Zika virus by pricking herself with a needle during an experiment last month, broadcaster ABC News said on Thursday. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of those infected have no symptoms. The unidentified researcher at the […]
Brazil: Zika outbreaks tops 91,000 cases
BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP) Wednesday 4/27/2016 – Brazil’s outbreak of Zika — which has been linked to the devastating microcephaly birth defect in newborns — has topped 91,000 cases, health officials said on Tuesday. Between January 3 and April 2, 91,387 suspected cases of Zika were reported, with a disproportionate share (30,286) in the poorer northeast of the country, the Health Ministry said. Three people have died of the mosquito-borne virus, it said. Despite a flurry of research, very […]
What you should know about the Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika virus
Looking into the dengue virus, chikungunya and Zika virus, videographics by AFP TV DENGUE, chikungunya and Zika come from the same family of viruses. They are transmitted by the ‘Aedes’ mosquito, Aedes aegypti and the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus. Ahedes aegypti is mainly found in the tropics, while the Asian tiger mosquito is found in both tropical and temperate climates, invading the Americas and even Europe. The three illnesses have several symptoms in […]
Microcephaly cases in the Philippines not caused by Zika
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health responded to a post made by a doctor in the social media, saying that the allegations of the said post is not true. According to the said post, microcephaly cases in the Philippines were caused by the Zika virus, which was promptly denied by the DOH. The DOH added that of the 700 suspected Zika virus case in the Philippines, all tested negative. (Eagle News Service Described by […]
Crisis due to ‘tricky’ Zika to ‘get worse before it gets better,’ WHO chief says
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (AFP)—The Zika virus, believed to be linked to the serious birth defect microcephaly, presents a “formidable” challenge that will be hard to stamp out, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said Wednesday. “Things could get worse before it gets better,” she said in Rio de Janeiro after a fact-finding mission to Brazil, the epicenter of the global health scare. Chan said part of the challenge in fighting the mosquito-borne virus […]
Who is Zika?
QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Who is Zika? It is actually not a person but a virus. Borne by mosquitoes, Zika causes mild fever, skin rash (exanthema), conjunctivitis (sore eyes) and muscle pain. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. Its name derived from the Zika forest in Uganda, where scientists first identified in 1940’s. The virus was associated with birth defects in Brazil. Since the start of 2015, Brazil has recorded 4,000 cases of […]
Zika virus could be linked to 4,000 microcephaly cases in Brazil, WHO says
(Reuters) — The mosquito-borne Zika virus could be linked to 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in Brazil including 49 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday (January 26). “Now, associated with Zika right now in Brazil, we see close to 4,000 microcephaly cases. Microcephaly again, is the condition with abnormally small heads in infants, in babies born, which normally goes along with a smaller brain development as well. Many, quite some already […]
