The LATimes says the WHO predicts it will hit the USA, but actually it already has.
Although the virus popped up in Africa during the 1950s, and later in the Pacific Islands, including Micronesia, it had not been seen in the Americas until it appeared in Brazil in May. It unclear how it got there. One theory is that the virus entered the country during or around the 2014 World Cup, when hundreds of thousands of people were visiting from around the globe. Weather conditions may be contributing to its spread, some experts have suggested. "Maybe El Niño has something to do with the rapid spread, although we aren't sure," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The lack of any previous exposure has also increased vulnerability because the populations lack immunity
uh, Weather (i.e. "global warming" or "el nino" only increases or decreases rain. The mosquitos live there all the time).
the bad news?
- The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika.
which are:
- The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
- The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
the main danger is a birth defect, microcephaly which is devestating to the child.
Me, I will be sarcastic: Right now, the CDC wants to screen women and babies for it, but there is no treatment.
Ah, but expect an upsurge in late term abortions and arguments for "infanticide" in the press in the near future.
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