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February 8, 2016

Title: Zika Virus Update
Topic: Operation Blessing

Discussed by Angela Dart
with Operation Blessing International (www.OB.org)

In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes. The Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. There has even been a report from Dallas of the virus being transmitted via sexual contact.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe cases requiring hospitalization are uncommon. Angela Dart, the Manager of International Health Operations with Operation Blessing, points out, however, that “Only about twenty percent of people actually express the symptoms.” Also, the spread of the Zika virus is not just an epidemic, it is a pandemic, which means it is spreading very fast worldwide. Although the Zika virus is not deadly in the majority of cases, there is a lot of concern about the virus, especially when it comes to pregnant women. The problem is this: “The virus is so new, research has not been done.”

OB has launched efforts to combat the Zika virus outbreak in Central America and the Caribbean with concentrated efforts in El Salvador and Haiti. In El Salvador, OB has purchased more than 1,250 mosquito nets that are being distributed by teams of volunteers to pregnant women in order to reduce the risk of microcephaly. The charity has also partnered with the Ministry of Health to provide funding for the government’s fumigation efforts in areas identified to have the greatest amount of Zika cases and other mosquito-borne illness.

Please click here  to help support the efforts of Operation Blessing in combating the Zika virus. If you cannot give financially, please add OB and residents in the most infected areas to your prayer list.

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