WHO’s Chan warns over spread of Zika virus beyond Latin America

The world will face a “severe public health crisis” if the Zika virus spreads beyond Latin America, the World Health Organization’s director general has said. Margaret Chan told a press conference that no one can currently predict whether the virus and its association with fetal malformations and neurological complications, as seen in Brazil and other parts of Latin America, will spread to other parts of the world. She added that a “shift in our thinking is needed, away from the management of individual cases and towards the longer term building of capacities in countries to cope with these added burdens. Fetal malformations place a heartbreaking strain on families and communities, as well as systems for healthcare and social support.” WHO said that Zika virus transmission has been reported in 33 countries and territories of the Americas and that Cuba and Dominica were the latest to report local transmission. An increase in the number...