New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday confirmed that the Zika virus, responsible for the outbreaks linked to neurological disorders and microcephaly in the Americas, has been imported into Africa.

As of 8 May, there have been 7,557 suspected cases of Zika in Cabo Verde, off the northwest coast of Africa.

In February, WHO had declared that Zika infection and its associated clusters of microcephaly and other neurological disorders constitute a public health emergency of international concern.

WHO confirmed the detection of Zika in Africa after Institut Pasteur, Dakar, sequenced the virus in Cabo Verde and confirmed that the Zika virus currently circulating in Cabo Verde is the same as the one circulating in the Americas and was most likely imported from Brazil.

“The findings are of concern because it is further proof that the outbreak is spreading beyond South America and is on the doorstep of Africa. This information will help African countries re-evaluate their level of risk and adapt and increase their levels of preparedness," said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, in a press release.

African countries have been advised to heighten risk communication to pregnant women in order to raise awareness of complications associated with the Zika virus and to promote prevention measures to avoid mosquito bites as well as sexual transmission of the virus.

“In addition, countries should increase their surveillance for Zika transmission and congenital malformations, such as microcephaly, as well as Guillain-Barré syndrome," said WHO.

As of 18 May, 46 countries are experiencing a first outbreak of Zika virus since 2015 with eight countries having reported a spurt in cases of microcephaly which is a condition where a baby is born with a small head or the head stops growing after birth.

A study led by University of Oxford last month said that global tropical and subtropical regions inhabited by over 2.7 billion people—including 2 million sq. km in India—are at high risk of Zika, a mosquito-borne disease.

But no Zika cases have been detected in India till now. Union health ministry’s Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is monitoring Zika virus in India.

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