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New infectious disease is spreading Several Zika cases also in Germany
The dangerous Zika virus is currently spreading in several countries in South and Central America. In Brazil, soldiers are already being used against mosquitoes in order to have defeated the pathogen as far as possible until the Olympic Games. The virus was occasionally introduced to other regions of the world. In Germany, five Zika cases have been confirmed so far.
Zika virus is spreading
Currently, a dangerous pathogen spreads in several countries in South and Central America: The Zika virus is suspected of being able to cause neonatal skull malformations. In this context, the warning had been given that pregnant women should not travel to Latin America at the moment. But sporadically, the virus was also brought to other parts of the world. It was recently reported that the virus had arrived in New York. In Germany, the pathogen was already detected.
Zika virus also in Germany. Image: jarun011 - fotolia Five cases confirmed in Germany
As reported by the "Welt" online, five Zika cases have been confirmed by travelers returning home in Germany since last October, according to the Federal Ministry of Health. A contagion in this country was not known. The virus has now been diagnosed in at least seven European countries. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the probability of becoming infected with the Zika virus in Germany was "very low". According to the Ministry of Health, most imported infections are not diagnosed at all. Because now, however, increasingly travelers returnees would be examined, is expected to increase numbers solely by the increased diagnostics.
Obligation to report mosquito-borne diseases
According to the "Welt", the ministry is planning to register for diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. As it was said, it could better monitor the infection in Germany. The Federal Council is expected to deal with the amendment of the Reporting Act in mid-March. According to the information, the planned reporting obligation for so-called arboviruses transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks or sandflies should apply. In addition to the Zika virus, these include the pathogens of yellow fever and dengue fever as well as the West Nile virus and tick-borne encephalomeningitis (TBE).
About every fifth infected person is ill
The Zika virus is not fatal and leads according to health experts in about 20 percent of infected people to flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and sometimes rash. The pathogen is also responsible for thousands of cases of microcephaly in babies. The children are born with an unusually small head, which can lead to brain malformations. So far, however, it is not clearly proven that the virus is the trigger for it. (Ad)