Zika Virus now found in Africa – WHO

Zika Virus now found in Africa - WHO

The World Health Organization says that the Zika virus strain linked to neurological defects in new-born babies in South America has been detected in Africa for the first time, Live BBC reports.

It was found in a sample taken from Cape Verde.

The WHO has been tweeting:

Sequencing confirms that the #ZikaViruscurrently circulating in #CaboVerde is the same as the one circulating in the Americas
First time that the #Zika strain responsible for the outbreaks linked to neurological disorders & #microcephaly has been detected in Africa

Report

The findings are of concern because it’s further proof that t/ #Zika outbreak is spreading beyond the Americas & is on t/ doorstep of Africa

The name of the virus in fact comes from a Ugandan forest where it was first identified.

But the strain prevalent in Africa caused flu-like symptoms without the other complications.