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Zika Pandemic Research Paper

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The Zika Pandemic and Microcephaly Introduction On February 1st, WHO announced that the zika virus has caused a global health emergency. By then, it was found in 64 countries, with Brazil bearing the highest amount of cases. While there has been speculation of it being brought into Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, this information while important to many, is rather extraneous information. The Summer 2016 Olympics is being held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. This is the first time Brazil is hosting the Olympics and in general, the first country in South America to ever have hosted the Summer Olympics. While this may be rather progressive, it is also high risk due to the Zika pandemic that is currently attacking Brazil and 63 other countries in the world. (cite: WHO) With …show more content…

They have been handing out pamphlets and chatting with the locals all over the country. In addition to this, Brazil has been trying to create a vaccine to prevent people of Zika since people of all ages are susceptible to the virus. Unfortunately, many researchers feel it could take years for a vaccine to exist. A company called Oxitec has been breeding fertile male mosquitos that when they mate, they will pass on their genes but the offspring will die as larvae and not make it to the flying insect. This has been going on for several years to tackle the dengue fever going on in Brazil. This has been effective in eliminating mosquitoes in some areas up to 90%. While this has been effective, Brazil’s major concern is creating a vaccine. (cite 14) To prevent any more microcephaly births, Brazil is telling people to wait on getting pregnant and if they test positive with zika, to wait at least 8 months before conceiving a child. Brazil is anti-abortion, so anyone who is pregnant with a child who is suffering with microcephaly, does not have the option of terminating the pregnancy. (cite

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