WHO to decide if Zika virus outbreak is global emergency

WHO to decide if Zika virus outbreak is global emergency
January 28, 2016 - 17:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The World Health Organization says it is convening an emergency committee on Monday, February 1, to decide if the Zika virus outbreak should be declared an international health emergency, the Associated Press reports.

At a special meeting on Thursday, WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said the virus — which has been linked to birth defects and neurological problems — was "spreading explosively." Chan said although there was no definitive proof that Zika was responsible for a spike in the number of babies being born with abnormally small heads in Brazil, "the level of alarm is extremely high."

WHO last declared an international emergency over the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which ended up killing more than 11,000 people.

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AP. UN to decide if Zika virus is a global health emergency
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