WHO warns of Zika virus risk in Europe

(ANSA) - Rome, March 18 - European countries, including Italy, must prepare for a possible mosquito-borne Zika virus contagion, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a risk assessment report out Friday.
    The risk of transmission of the virus - which has been linked to severe birth defects such as microcephaly as well as neurological problems - will increase as mosquitoes become active with the warm weather, the WHO report said. "While the Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) is the primary vector, the Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito) - which is present in 20 European countries - can also transmit the virus and remains a potential vector," the report said.
    Aedes aegypti is present on the Portuguese island of Madeira and on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea. The Aedes albopictus lives in Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the Vatican City. The WHO recommends a four-pronged prevention approach: pest control, keeping tabs on the virus via an early warning system, swift lab confirmations of possible infections, and alerting the public - especially pregnant women - as to the risk.
    The organization last month said pregnant Zika victims who choose to terminate should be granted access to safe abortions. Women living in countries where access to abortion is limited should be granted appropriate information on the options available, including emergency, short-term, long-term and permanent contraceptives, the organization added.
    Most of the women in countries affected by the Zika outbreak will have healthy children and it is safe for women to breastfeed if they have been infected, the WHO added.
    The WHO has declared an international health emergency over the virus, which has spread rapidly in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.