There are some diseases that don’t have a cure and some do. But Zika is something that is still under the cover. It doesn’t have proper medication as yet and people are suffering from it. There are so many things general public doesn’t know about Zika virus. So, this article is a health awareness article that points out various things we as public should know about this deadly disease.
Did you know that the World health organization has sent out an emergency public health issue since Feb 1, 2016? Yes, this is because of the outbreak that happened in Brazil that affected nearly a million people, kids and even babies. This disease is a mosquito prone disease that is fatal amd brings neurological disorder even during pregnancy. It is a type of mosquito called Aedes aegypti mosquito which has now apparently spread nearly to 29 countries in the world. People are advised not to travel to different countries now because of the population of this type of mosquito.
One other important thing you should know is that if the mosquito bites a pregnant woman, the baby inside the womb is also affected and is born in the most deformed manner. So, this high deadly disease is a lot than you think. We are going to tell you everything about Zika virus and the things you should be aware of too.
Top Things You Should Know About Zika Virus
1Discovery of Zika
Zika is not a very new disease at all. It was discovered in the year 1947 when the disease spread from the monkeys to human in Uganda. Luckily, the disease did not hit the humans until now. But, recently from the year 2007, there have been case studies of Zika virus being injected by the mosquitoes into human body.
2How does it spread?
It is a typical mosquito bite that spreads the disease. The mosquito Aedes Aegypti is one of the main species that carries the deadly virus in it. While some researchers say that it is the Aedes type, some other evidences have found that it is also Asian tiger mosquito which also contains the virus in it. The sad thing is that the latter kind of species is present at least in 32 states in the United States of America spreading the virus very vigorously.
3Symptoms of Zika Virus
There are no major symptoms of this viral disease. However some people show symptoms of sore arms or legs or even body, red eyes, itching, rashes and mild fever. Some people don’t realize until they are testified. In some people, there are some cell or nerve damages that are predicted to be symptoms of the virus. Pregnant women give birth to deformed babies. The babies are mainly affected in their head or brain and this is called as microcephaly.
4How to protect yourself
Zika does not have a vaccine yet, so if you want to protect yourself from this deadly disease, all you have to do is helping yourself by avoiding any kind of mosquito bites. Use mosquito repellant that has DEET content in it and those creams or ointments that help the mosquitoes stay away from you. Other ways in which you can protect yourself is by dressing in full or long sleeve dresses when you travel outside, you can remove all the sanitary things around your house and do not travel into the woods because these kind of diseases catch you directly from the woods only. Do not let the water stagnate outside your house and by all means try to stay clear from any mosquito prevailing area.
5Safety for pregnant women
The officials and the Cdc have warned specially for women who are pregnant to not travel to various countries where the virus is extreme. These areas are mostly in the central and south areas of America. The doctors say that there is high risk for women who are in their first trimester since the baby’s brain cells are still fragile. If you still have to travel by all means, you need to consult your doctor prior to your travel and get a proper medication and back up kit on what all you need to take with you.
[Also Read – Remedy for Zika Virus]
6Is there any cure
There is no cure for Zika virus as yet but a lab in Hyderabad is said to have found a remedy for the same. The lab is waiting for the approval from the higher officials. If the FDA approval is given, then the cure could be found out and given to the public. As of now, you can do all the manual cure for yourself like balms, repellant etc.
Here are some details on the outbreak of Zika virus
We will keep you updated with anything more. So, stay indoors and stay safe !
-Pavithra Ravi
