Zika virus: no cases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region but concerns remain

Abstract

Following the WHO declaration on 1 February 2016 of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) with regard to clusters of microcephaly and neurological disorders potentially associated with Zika virus, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean conducted three rounds of emergency meetings to address enhancing preparedness actions in the Region. The meetings provided up-to-date information on the current situation and agreed on a set of actions for the countries to undertake to enhance their preparedness and response capacities to Zika virus infection and its complications. The most urgent action is to enhance both epidemiological and entomological surveillance between now and the coming rainy seasons in countries with known presence of Aedes mosquitoes. Zika virus like other vector-borne diseases poses a particular challenge to the countries because of their complex nature which requires multidisciplinary competencies and strong rapid interaction among committed sectors. WHO is working closely with partners and countries to ensure the optimum support is provided to the countries to reduce the risk of this newly emerged health threat.

Current and future distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region

“…Given the wide spread distribution and the abundance of Aedes aegypti and the reported cases of dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, Tran Minh et al [ 5 ] assumed that the potential risk of disease outbreaks is high in at least eight of the EMR countries: Djibouti, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Furthermore, in recent years the invasive vector Aedes albopictus has spread in some countries, such as Lebanon [ 6 ] and Morocco [ 7 ], but the available occurrence database is not updated.…”

Enhancing surveillance for early detection of Zika virus infection: strategies for the countries of Eastern Mediterranean Region

“…(4,21,22). In view of limitations of existing conventional disease surveillance systems to detect ZIKV infection in non-endemic settings, effective surveillance systems that are appropriate for resource-poor settings and can identify a potential cluster where laboratory capacity to detect the ZIKV is limited, should be the goal to prevent local transmission (12,23).…”

“…Although no ZIKV infection has yet been reported in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), competent disease vector Aedes mosquitoes are present in many countries in the Region (12,13) and a number of countries have reported outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever in the past, which are all transmitted by the same Aedes mosquitoes (13). In the globalized world, the risk of importation of ZIKV into EMR countries through a viraemic traveler returning from one of the ZIKV affected countries is a possibility, since it has happened in the recent past (14,15).…”

“…In the globalized world, the risk of importation of ZIKV into EMR countries through a viraemic traveler returning from one of the ZIKV affected countries is a possibility, since it has happened in the recent past (14,15). Once the virus is introduced, the risk of local transmission of ZIKV remains high in EMR countries where Aedes populations and major arboviral disease outbreaks transmitted by the same Aedes species have occurred in the past (12,(16)(17)(18). In the WHO's new country classification scheme for ZIKV, eight countries from the Eastern Mediterranean Region are included in Category 4, which means that a main competent vector is established in these countries with no known or documented autochthonous case of ZIKV infection (19).…”

The Effectiveness of M.D-Risti Application as an Alternative for Independent Early Detection of Risk of Pregnancy during the Pandemic COVID-19 in Palu City, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

“…The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 15-20% of pregnant women in both developed and developing countries will experience a high risk (risti) and/or complications [1]. The WHO also reports that the main causes of maternal death are bleeding, eclampsia, and infection, which may contribute to 60% of total maternal deaths.…”