Countries urged to enhance preparedness and readiness measures for Zika virus infection in the ...

03 March 2016 – The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean invited representatives from ministries of health in the Region to 2 rounds of emergency meetings to share information on Zika virus infection and associated conditions and discuss implementation of public health measures to prepare for, and respond to, any possible spread in the Region. To date, no case of Zika virus infection has been reported from any country in the Region, either through local transmission or importation via travel from a Zika-affected country. However, the Region remains at risk as the Aedes mosquito that transmits the virus to humans is present in at least 8 countries – Djibouti, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The meeting concluded with agreement on a set of recommendations for urgent implementation in order to keep the Region free from the threat of Zika virus infection. These included to:  enhance disease surveillance to early detect cases of Zika virus infection and notify WHO as soon as such cases occur;  establish laboratory facilities for diagnosis and testing capacities for Zika virus infection, including establishing appropriate links with external reference laboratories for sample processing;  strengthen entomological surveillance, especially in hotspot areas, including at ports and airports, to pre-empt and detect occurrence of high densities of Aedes mosquitoes and target these areas for vector control...
Source: WHO EMRO News - Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news