Could Zika reach Europe?
The World Health Organization has said that there is a ‘low to moderate’ risk that the Zika virus may reach Europe this summer, although it is not currently issuing any new travel advice or restrictions. Areas such as Russia’s Black Sea coast and the island of Madeira, where the Zika-carrying Aedes mosquitoes are prevalent, are the most at risk, and France, Greece, Italy and Spain are also considered to be at moderate risk, while the UK’s risk level is low.
The WHO urges all countries where the Aedes mosquito proliferates to eliminate the insects’ breeding sites – most commonly areas of stagnant water – and ensure that information is widely disseminated, particularly to pregnant women. The majority of potentially affected countries, according to the agency, are well equipped to quickly identify and isolate cases and deal with them appropriately, but others should seek to bolster their ability and improve the necessary infrastructure.
“The main mosquito vector for Zika, Aedes aegypti, is only found in Madeira and around the Black Sea, but another mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is more widespread and is capable of transmitting Zika, although not very efficiently,” commented Professor Jimmy Whitworth of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Countries in southern Europe, including France and Italy, need to be especially vigilant, and it’s important that holidaymakers follow public health advice while abroad, including taking all the necessary precautions to avoid getting bitten. This is especially so for pregnant women, or women planning to become pregnant, travelling to areas where there is Zika, as there is now a proven link with microcephaly and other birth defects.”