The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-no-new-ebola-cases-in-goma-vaccinates-over-1300-242273">cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic</a>, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday.

"Two cases which tested positive for Ebola were confirmed overnight in South Kivu, in Lwindi district in the Mwenga region," it said in a statement.&nbsp;

"A 26-year-old victim died and (one of their) children who tested positive is still alive and being treated," it said.

More than 1,900 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August 1, 2018, when the hemorrhagic virus erupted in North Kivu province and spread to neighbouring Ituri province.

South Kivu Governor Theo Ngwabidje told reporters: "Teams from the national anti-Ebola coordination campaign arrived yesterday to provide support."

The Ebola virus causes fever, vomiting and severe diarrhoea, often followed by kidney and liver failure, internal and external bleeding.

The disease is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids and is fought with time-honoured but laborious techniques of tracing contacts and quarantining them.&nbsp;

The outbreak is the 10th since Ebola was identified in 1976.

It is the deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people was killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014-2016.

The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday.

The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday. "Two cases which tested positive for Ebola were confirmed overnight in South Kivu, in Lwindi district in the Mwenga region," it said in a statement. "A 26-year-old victim died and (one of their) children who tested positive is still alive and being treated," it said. More than 1,900 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August 1, 2018, when the hemorrhagic virus erupted in North Kivu province and spread to neighbouring Ituri province. South Kivu Governor Theo Ngwabidje told reporters: "Teams from the national anti-Ebola coordination campaign arrived yesterday to provide support." The Ebola virus causes fever, vomiting and severe diarrhoea, often followed by kidney and liver failure, internal and external bleeding. The disease is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids and is fought with time-honoured but laborious techniques of tracing contacts and quarantining them. The outbreak is the 10th since Ebola was identified in 1976. It is the deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people was killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014-2016.

First confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo's South Kivu province

Violence against ebola health workers in Dr Congo

Wion Playlist: Ebola Virus reaches Goma in Dr Congo

Days after a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with the potentially deadly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nipah-virus-harsh-vardhan-reviews-public-health-measures-says-situation-under-control-224822">Nipah virus</a> in Kerala, the Karnataka government has sounded alert in eight districts, including those on the borders of the neighbouring state.

The condition of the college student, diagnosed with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/7-people-suspected-of-nipah-virus-in-hospital-kerala-health-minister-224734">Nipah infection</a>, is stable, hospital authorities said.

A total of 314 persons who were in touch with the infected person have been kept under observation, officials said.

Following the Nipah outbreak report, the Health Department in Karnataka issued a circular asking administration in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts to immediately convene inter-departmental coordination committee meetings, including veterinary department, Indian Medical Association and Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

Authorities in these eight districts have been directed to identify two isolation beds to quarantine suspected human cases.

They have been asked to keep all the logistics available at all levels, read the circular.

The department has also asked district authorities to direct government and private hospitals to keep an eye on suspected cases.

Once a patient shows symptoms of Nipah, the hospitals have to monitor acute encephalitis syndrome, check all vital parameters and take travel history of patients.

The district hospitals should have an ICU with ventilator facilities and capacity to receive emergency cases, it read.

The department asked the districts to furnish daily outbreak report regarding Nipah virus.

It also directed authorities to sensitise health assistants and ASHA workers.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans.

Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection and encephalitis.

Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting and sore throat.

This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.

Days after a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with the potentially deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, the Karnataka government has sounded alert in eight districts, including those on the borders of the neighbouring state.

Days after a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with the potentially deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, the Karnataka government has sounded alert in eight districts, including those on the borders of the neighbouring state. The condition of the college student, diagnosed with Nipah infection, is stable, hospital authorities said. A total of 314 persons who were in touch with the infected person have been kept under observation, officials said. Following the Nipah outbreak report, the Health Department in Karnataka issued a circular asking administration in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts to immediately convene inter-departmental coordination committee meetings, including veterinary department, Indian Medical Association and Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Authorities in these eight districts have been directed to identify two isolation beds to quarantine suspected human cases. They have been asked to keep all the logistics available at all levels, read the circular. The department has also asked district authorities to direct government and private hospitals to keep an eye on suspected cases. Once a patient shows symptoms of Nipah, the hospitals have to monitor acute encephalitis syndrome, check all vital parameters and take travel history of patients. The district hospitals should have an ICU with ventilator facilities and capacity to receive emergency cases, it read. The department asked the districts to furnish daily outbreak report regarding Nipah virus. It also directed authorities to sensitise health assistants and ASHA workers. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans. Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection and encephalitis. Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting and sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.

Nipah: Karnataka sounds alert after man infected with virus in Kerala

The Kerala government Wednesday said the condition of the college student being treated at a private hospital for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-government-confirms-nipah-virus-311-under-observation-224413">Nipah virus</a> is stable while the condition of five others kept under watch was improving.

A total of 311 people from various districts are under observation, Health Minister K K Shailaja said.

"The condition of the student is stable. It has not turned worse," she said, a day after the 23-year old student here was confirmed to be infected with Nipah virus.

A medical bulletin issued by the hospital Tuesday night had said he was admitted on May 30 and "the patient is clinically stable, slowly improving and his fever is subsiding."

Talking to reporters here, Shailaja said samples collected from the five people currently being treated at the isolation ward of Kalamassery Medical College Hospital have been sent to National Institute of Virology in Pune this morning.

"The preliminary assessment of their health shows that they are not in a severe condition. Their health now is better than yesterday. But they are under constant watch of doctors. We expect tests of their blood samples would be negative. But we should wait till the final results come," Shailaja, who is constantly monitoring the situation with medical experts and top health officials, said.

She said treatment for Nipah will start only if their blood test confirm they have contracted the infectious disease.

The results are expected by Thursday evening.

"We should be very careful till the completion of the incubation period of the virus," she said.

At present, they were being treated for fever and sore throat, said the minister.

According to the World Health Organisation, the incubation period (interval from infection to the onset of symptoms) is believed to range from 4 to 14 days.

Shailaja, who has been camping here since Monday to lead the state's fight against the potentially deadly virus, said 311 people from various districts were under observation of health officials and an analysis is being carried out to confirm on how many of them had directly contacted with the student infected with the virus.

A government bulletin had said Tuesday that a list of 311 people, who have interacted with the student, has been prepared and they were under medical observation.

Hailing from North Paravur in Ernakulam, the 23-year-old is studying in a college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district.

The student, who was suffering from fever, had gone to Thrissur district with a group of students to attend a training programme.

The government has urged people not to panic and take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

The administration has launched an awareness campaign through the media to meet the challenge.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had also spoken to Shailaja Tuesday to discuss the situation and assured all support from the Centre to the state.

A control room has also been set up and the Strategic Health Operations Centre of the National Centre for Disease Control has been activated, phone number for which is 011-23978046, a health ministry statement said in New Delhi.

According to state government figures, the Nipah virus had claimed 17 lives -- 14 in Kozhikode and three in neighbouring Malappuram in May last year.

The Kerala government Wednesday said the condition of the college student being treated at a private hospital for Nipah virus is stable while the condition of five others kept under watch was improving.

The Kerala government Wednesday said the condition of the college student being treated at a private hospital for Nipah virus is stable while the condition of five others kept under watch was improving. A total of 311 people from various districts are under observation, Health Minister K K Shailaja said. "The condition of the student is stable. It has not turned worse," she said, a day after the 23-year old student here was confirmed to be infected with Nipah virus. A medical bulletin issued by the hospital Tuesday night had said he was admitted on May 30 and "the patient is clinically stable, slowly improving and his fever is subsiding." Talking to reporters here, Shailaja said samples collected from the five people currently being treated at the isolation ward of Kalamassery Medical College Hospital have been sent to National Institute of Virology in Pune this morning. "The preliminary assessment of their health shows that they are not in a severe condition. Their health now is better than yesterday. But they are under constant watch of doctors. We expect tests of their blood samples would be negative. But we should wait till the final results come," Shailaja, who is constantly monitoring the situation with medical experts and top health officials, said. She said treatment for Nipah will start only if their blood test confirm they have contracted the infectious disease. The results are expected by Thursday evening. "We should be very careful till the completion of the incubation period of the virus," she said. At present, they were being treated for fever and sore throat, said the minister. According to the World Health Organisation, the incubation period (interval from infection to the onset of symptoms) is believed to range from 4 to 14 days. Shailaja, who has been camping here since Monday to lead the state's fight against the potentially deadly virus, said 311 people from various districts were under observation of health officials and an analysis is being carried out to confirm on how many of them had directly contacted with the student infected with the virus. A government bulletin had said Tuesday that a list of 311 people, who have interacted with the student, has been prepared and they were under medical observation. Hailing from North Paravur in Ernakulam, the 23-year-old is studying in a college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district. The student, who was suffering from fever, had gone to Thrissur district with a group of students to attend a training programme. The government has urged people not to panic and take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The administration has launched an awareness campaign through the media to meet the challenge. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had also spoken to Shailaja Tuesday to discuss the situation and assured all support from the Centre to the state. A control room has also been set up and the Strategic Health Operations Centre of the National Centre for Disease Control has been activated, phone number for which is 011-23978046, a health ministry statement said in New Delhi. According to state government figures, the Nipah virus had claimed 17 lives -- 14 in Kozhikode and three in neighbouring Malappuram in May last year.

Condition of Nipah patient stable, says Kerala Health Minister

A year after two north Kerala districts were hit by Nipah claiming 17 lives, the disease resurfaced in the state with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-man-tests-positive-for-nipah-virus-infection-224081">23-year-old student here confirmed to be infected</a> with the potentially deadly virus.

The government said 311 people from various districts with whom the student had interacted were under observation.

The student, who is being treated at a private hospital here, is slowly improving and his fever subsiding, according to a medical bulletin.

The results of blood samples of the student, which were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, have confirmed Nipah, state Health minister K K Shailaja said here.

Earlier, blood samples examined at two virology institutes--Manipal Institute of Virology and Kerala Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases--had indicated Nipah.

Watch: 23-year-old Kerala man tested positive for Nipah

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The government said four people--three who attended to the student initially and one person who studied with him--were suffering from fever and sore throat.

They were shifted to the isolation ward set up at the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital here for detailed medical examination. Their health condition is satisfactory, according to authorities.

Shailaja said the condition of the student is stable and he was not put under any support system like ventilator.

"Good care is being given to the patient. The patient sometimes become restless due to fever...We expect a good result," she told reporters. 
A medical bulletin issued by the hospital late in the night said he was admitted on May 30.

"At present, the patient is clinically stable, slowly improving and his fever is subsiding," it said.&nbsp;

The DMO has supplied the necessary anti-viral medications as soon as the case was notified and the hospital was able to start medications promptly, it said.

The hospital is strictly abiding by all public health protocols as suggested by the district and state health authorities and closely coordinating with them in the best interest of patient and community, it added.

A government bulletin said a list of 311 people, who have interacted with the student, has been prepared and they were under medical observation. 
The student, hailing from North Paravur in Ernakulam, is studying in a college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district.

The student, who was suffering from fever, had gone to Thrissur district with a group of students to attend a training programme.

The government urged people not to panic and take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

Watch: As Nipah strikes again in Kerala, state to strengthen preventive measures

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"We have confidence that we can face it. We have faced it in Kozhikode last year and contained it," Shailaja said trying to instil confidence among people.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no need to panic as the health network would rise up to the challenge.

"We are in constant contact with the Union ministry for health. A team of experts have arrived in Kochi.Their guidelines will also be used to tackle the virus outbreak," Vijayan said in a Facebook Post.

Under the supervision of the state health minister, all necessary preparations have been completed, Vijayan said, adding those who came in contact with the infected person, have been traced and are under observation.

Extending all assistance to the state government to deal with the situation, the Centre rushed a six-member team comprising an epidemiologist to Kerala.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also spoke to Shailaja to discuss the current situation and assured all support from the Centre to the state.

A control room has also been set up and the Strategic Health Operations Centre of the National Centre for Disease Control has been activated, phone number for which is 011-23978046, a health ministry statement said in New Delhi.

According to state government figures, the Nipah virus had claimed 17 lives -- 14 in Kozhikode and three in neighbouring Malappuram in May last year.

Appealing to social media users not to spread panic among the public, Shailaja said stringent action would be taken against those indulging in such acts.

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, who met Shailaja here, promised all support to the state government to unitedly fight the disease.

Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of the Nipah virus.

Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs), or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human.

On May 19, 2018, Nipah virus disease (NiV) outbreak was reported from Kozhikode.

Health experts from Kozhikode, who have experience in fighting the disease, have reached Kochi.

According to the WHO, Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), the flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans.

It takes its name from Sungai Nipah, a village in Malaysia where it was first identified.

Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection (mild, severe), and fatal encephalitis.

Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, myalgia, vomiting and sore throat.

This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.

Some people can also experience atypical pneumonia and severe respiratory problems, including acute respiratory distress. Encephalitis and seizures occur in severe cases, progressing to coma within 24 to 48 hours.

&nbsp;

A year after two north Kerala districts were hit by Nipah claiming 17 lives, the disease resurfaced in the state with a 23-year-old student here confirmed to be infected with the potentially deadly virus.

A year after two north Kerala districts were hit by Nipah claiming 17 lives, the disease resurfaced in the state with a 23-year-old student here confirmed to be infected with the potentially deadly virus. The government said 311 people from various districts with whom the student had interacted were under observation. The student, who is being treated at a private hospital here, is slowly improving and his fever subsiding, according to a medical bulletin. The results of blood samples of the student, which were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, have confirmed Nipah, state Health minister K K Shailaja said here. Earlier, blood samples examined at two virology institutes--Manipal Institute of Virology and Kerala Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases--had indicated Nipah. Watch: 23-year-old Kerala man tested positive for Nipah × The government said four people--three who attended to the student initially and one person who studied with him--were suffering from fever and sore throat. They were shifted to the isolation ward set up at the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital here for detailed medical examination. Their health condition is satisfactory, according to authorities. Shailaja said the condition of the student is stable and he was not put under any support system like ventilator. "Good care is being given to the patient. The patient sometimes become restless due to fever...We expect a good result," she told reporters. A medical bulletin issued by the hospital late in the night said he was admitted on May 30. "At present, the patient is clinically stable, slowly improving and his fever is subsiding," it said. The DMO has supplied the necessary anti-viral medications as soon as the case was notified and the hospital was able to start medications promptly, it said. The hospital is strictly abiding by all public health protocols as suggested by the district and state health authorities and closely coordinating with them in the best interest of patient and community, it added. A government bulletin said a list of 311 people, who have interacted with the student, has been prepared and they were under medical observation. The student, hailing from North Paravur in Ernakulam, is studying in a college in Thodupuzha in Idukki district. The student, who was suffering from fever, had gone to Thrissur district with a group of students to attend a training programme. The government urged people not to panic and take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Watch: As Nipah strikes again in Kerala, state to strengthen preventive measures × "We have confidence that we can face it. We have faced it in Kozhikode last year and contained it," Shailaja said trying to instil confidence among people. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no need to panic as the health network would rise up to the challenge. "We are in constant contact with the Union ministry for health. A team of experts have arrived in Kochi.Their guidelines will also be used to tackle the virus outbreak," Vijayan said in a Facebook Post. Under the supervision of the state health minister, all necessary preparations have been completed, Vijayan said, adding those who came in contact with the infected person, have been traced and are under observation. Extending all assistance to the state government to deal with the situation, the Centre rushed a six-member team comprising an epidemiologist to Kerala. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also spoke to Shailaja to discuss the current situation and assured all support from the Centre to the state. A control room has also been set up and the Strategic Health Operations Centre of the National Centre for Disease Control has been activated, phone number for which is 011-23978046, a health ministry statement said in New Delhi. According to state government figures, the Nipah virus had claimed 17 lives -- 14 in Kozhikode and three in neighbouring Malappuram in May last year. Appealing to social media users not to spread panic among the public, Shailaja said stringent action would be taken against those indulging in such acts. Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, who met Shailaja here, promised all support to the state government to unitedly fight the disease. Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of the Nipah virus. Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs), or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human. On May 19, 2018, Nipah virus disease (NiV) outbreak was reported from Kozhikode. Health experts from Kozhikode, who have experience in fighting the disease, have reached Kochi. According to the WHO, Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), the flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans. It takes its name from Sungai Nipah, a village in Malaysia where it was first identified. Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection (mild, severe), and fatal encephalitis. Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, myalgia, vomiting and sore throat. This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis. Some people can also experience atypical pneumonia and severe respiratory problems, including acute respiratory distress. Encephalitis and seizures occur in severe cases, progressing to coma within 24 to 48 hours.

Kerala government confirms Nipah virus; 311 under observation

For Chinese artist, Guo O Dong, the simple black Samsung laptop computer, loaded with six potent viruses, symbolises one of the world's most frightening threats.

On Tuesday his creation "The Persistence of Chaos" rocked the art world, selling for more than $1.3 million in a New York online auction.

There's nothing special about the 2008 10-inch Netbook, running Microsoft's now-outdated Windows XP.&nbsp;

But loaded onto its memory chips are the computing world's equivalents of the most deadly infectious diseases: "I LOVE YOU" from 2000, "Sobig" of 2003, "MyDoom" (2004), "DarkTequila" (2013), "BlackEnergy" (2015), and the most notorious of all, the "WannaCry" ransomware from two years ago.

It is a powerful symbol of the threat on simple laptop can pose to the entire world. The six trojans, worms and malware loaded on it have caused at least $95 billion in damage around the world, according to Guo.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/opinion-on-safer-internet-day-10-tips-to-prevent-hacking-32002">Opinion: On Safer Internet Day, 10 tips to prevent hacking</a>

Guo is an internet artist "whose work critiques modern day extremely online culture," the auction site, organized by cybersecurity group Deep Instinct, said.

The computer, viewed via an online video stream, is harmless in its auction state -- turned on, but not connected to any network or the internet.

The auction site says it is "airgapped" -- its wireless and internet connections physically and electronically plugged.&nbsp;

But it comes with ominous warning to the buyer not to unleash its pathogenic programs -- possible by unplugging its connection hardware, or by simply inserting a thumb drive.

The site stresses that the artwork is for research use only, saying that anyone who submitted a bid contractually agreed that they "have no intention of disseminating any malware."&nbsp;

At the same time, the site appeared to acknowledge that the buyer might not heed the agreement.&nbsp;

"Please remember that these are live and dangerous malware samples," it said.

"Running them unconstrained means that you will infect yourself or others with vicious and dangerous malware."

The buyer was not identified.

For Chinese artist, Guo O Dong, the simple black Samsung laptop computer, loaded with six potent viruses, symbolises one of the world's most frightening threats.

For Chinese artist, Guo O Dong, the simple black Samsung laptop computer, loaded with six potent viruses, symbolises one of the world's most frightening threats. On Tuesday his creation "The Persistence of Chaos" rocked the art world, selling for more than $1.3 million in a New York online auction. There's nothing special about the 2008 10-inch Netbook, running Microsoft's now-outdated Windows XP. But loaded onto its memory chips are the computing world's equivalents of the most deadly infectious diseases: "I LOVE YOU" from 2000, "Sobig" of 2003, "MyDoom" (2004), "DarkTequila" (2013), "BlackEnergy" (2015), and the most notorious of all, the "WannaCry" ransomware from two years ago. It is a powerful symbol of the threat on simple laptop can pose to the entire world. The six trojans, worms and malware loaded on it have caused at least $95 billion in damage around the world, according to Guo. Opinion: On Safer Internet Day, 10 tips to prevent hacking Guo is an internet artist "whose work critiques modern day extremely online culture," the auction site, organized by cybersecurity group Deep Instinct, said. The computer, viewed via an online video stream, is harmless in its auction state -- turned on, but not connected to any network or the internet. The auction site says it is "airgapped" -- its wireless and internet connections physically and electronically plugged. But it comes with ominous warning to the buyer not to unleash its pathogenic programs -- possible by unplugging its connection hardware, or by simply inserting a thumb drive. The site stresses that the artwork is for research use only, saying that anyone who submitted a bid contractually agreed that they "have no intention of disseminating any malware." At the same time, the site appeared to acknowledge that the buyer might not heed the agreement. "Please remember that these are live and dangerous malware samples," it said. "Running them unconstrained means that you will infect yourself or others with vicious and dangerous malware." The buyer was not identified.

Virus-packed laptop sells as artwork for over $1.3 million

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ncw-seeks-report-from-tamil-nadu-over-alleged-transfusion-of-hiv-infected-blood-to-women-187542">A 24-year-old woman</a>, who contracted HIV at a government hospital allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood, has given birth to a baby girl here.

The woman had a normal delivery Thursday, Government Rajaji Hospital dean Dr S Shanmughasundaram told PTI, adding that the baby weighed 1.75 kg.

"C-section would have facilitated lesser contact with the mother's blood. But the mother developed labour pain and the delivery happened quickly," he said.

The low birth weight baby is being treated in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit and has been administered medicines for prevention of HIV transmission, the dean said.

A healthy baby weighs between 2.5 kg and 3.5 kg at birth.

HIV screening would be conducted on the 45th day to ascertain whether the child has been infected by the virus, he added.

Last month, the pregnant woman contracted HIV at a government hospital in Sattur in Virudhunagar district allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood supplied by a blood bank.

Following this, the state government ordered an examination of stocks in the state's blood banks.

It was later found that a 19-year old blood donor's infected blood was transfused to the woman. On learning that she had contracted the virus, he consumed rat poison and died on December 30.

Services of three lab technicians of the blood bank attached to the government hospital were terminated.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from opposition parties with the DMK lashing out at the ruling AIADMK, saying it showed how state-run hospitals functioned under the "corrupt government."&nbsp;

A 24-year-old woman, who contracted HIV at a government hospital allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood, has given birth to a baby girl here. The woman had a normal delivery Thursday, Government Rajaji Hospital dean Dr S Shanmughasundaram told PTI, adding that the baby weighed 1.

A 24-year-old woman, who contracted HIV at a government hospital allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood, has given birth to a baby girl here. The woman had a normal delivery Thursday, Government Rajaji Hospital dean Dr S Shanmughasundaram told PTI, adding that the baby weighed 1.75 kg. "C-section would have facilitated lesser contact with the mother's blood. But the mother developed labour pain and the delivery happened quickly," he said. The low birth weight baby is being treated in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit and has been administered medicines for prevention of HIV transmission, the dean said. A healthy baby weighs between 2.5 kg and 3.5 kg at birth. HIV screening would be conducted on the 45th day to ascertain whether the child has been infected by the virus, he added. Last month, the pregnant woman contracted HIV at a government hospital in Sattur in Virudhunagar district allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood supplied by a blood bank. Following this, the state government ordered an examination of stocks in the state's blood banks. It was later found that a 19-year old blood donor's infected blood was transfused to the woman. On learning that she had contracted the virus, he consumed rat poison and died on December 30. Services of three lab technicians of the blood bank attached to the government hospital were terminated. The incident drew widespread condemnation from opposition parties with the DMK lashing out at the ruling AIADMK, saying it showed how state-run hospitals functioned under the "corrupt government."

Tamil Nadu woman who got HIV after blood transfusion delivers baby girl

Tourism in Kerala is bearing the brunt of the sudden occurrence of&nbsp;Nipah virus&nbsp;in a section of the state. However, locals and tourists believe that the situation has been falsely portrayed by the media.

News of the presence of the virus was first reported from Kozhikode earlier this week, and now, at least 12 deaths have been confirmed to have taken place due to the "rare and deadly" virus. As the death toll is rising each day, a wave of panic has gripped the state, since the infection spreads through human contact.

However, locals in Kochi believe that unnecessary panic has been spread through various sections of the media, which in turn, is disrupting tourism to the region.

"In Northern India, it is the holiday season now, due to which we get many tourists from there. However, the news of the Nipah virus has led to almost 50 to 60 per cent cancellation of bookings. We are also getting inquiries from Gulf countries, as the Arab holiday season is approaching. It has created unnecessary panic," Tourism Profession Club Secretary Paul said.

Echoing a similar thought, Ajay Kumar, a local tourist guide said the false portrayal of the situation is hampering his business.

"In Kochi, there is no need to panic as the area is safe from the virus. It (Nipah) is only in a small section of Kozhikode. However, media is portraying it in such a way that tourists believe the whole of Kerala is affected by the disease. I have lost business due to this, as travellers are cancelling trips booked even for the next month," he added.

However, tourists in the area, although unfazed by the virus, are taking a number of precautionary measures in the wake of the disease.

"We are trying to eat home cooked food for our own safety. We are avoiding excessive amounts of hotel food and fruits for now. We are also planning to avoid visiting Kozhikode at this time," a tourist said.

So far, the virus has claimed 12 lives in Kerala, following which the state's health department issued an advisory for people travelling to the state, and urged travellers to be extra cautious while visiting Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts.

A similar note of caution has also been issued by the Himachal Pradesh health ministry on Thursday after more than 18 dead bats were discovered on Wednesday in the premises of a government school in Nahan, triggering a panic among locals.

For those unversed,&nbsp;Nipah virus, spread by fruit bats, causes communicable disease and is fatal for both animals and humans.

The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, drowsiness, respiratory illness, disorientation and mental confusion.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these signs and symptoms can progress to coma within 24-48 hours.&nbsp;

Locals in Kochi believe that unnecessary panic has been spread through various sections of the media, which in turn, is disrupting tourism in the region

Tourism in Kerala is bearing the brunt of the sudden occurrence of Nipah virus in a section of the state. However, locals and tourists believe that the situation has been falsely portrayed by the media. News of the presence of the virus was first reported from Kozhikode earlier this week, and now, at least 12 deaths have been confirmed to have taken place due to the "rare and deadly" virus. As the death toll is rising each day, a wave of panic has gripped the state, since the infection spreads through human contact. However, locals in Kochi believe that unnecessary panic has been spread through various sections of the media, which in turn, is disrupting tourism to the region. "In Northern India, it is the holiday season now, due to which we get many tourists from there. However, the news of the Nipah virus has led to almost 50 to 60 per cent cancellation of bookings. We are also getting inquiries from Gulf countries, as the Arab holiday season is approaching. It has created unnecessary panic," Tourism Profession Club Secretary Paul said. Echoing a similar thought, Ajay Kumar, a local tourist guide said the false portrayal of the situation is hampering his business. "In Kochi, there is no need to panic as the area is safe from the virus. It (Nipah) is only in a small section of Kozhikode. However, media is portraying it in such a way that tourists believe the whole of Kerala is affected by the disease. I have lost business due to this, as travellers are cancelling trips booked even for the next month," he added. However, tourists in the area, although unfazed by the virus, are taking a number of precautionary measures in the wake of the disease. "We are trying to eat home cooked food for our own safety. We are avoiding excessive amounts of hotel food and fruits for now. We are also planning to avoid visiting Kozhikode at this time," a tourist said. So far, the virus has claimed 12 lives in Kerala, following which the state's health department issued an advisory for people travelling to the state, and urged travellers to be extra cautious while visiting Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts. A similar note of caution has also been issued by the Himachal Pradesh health ministry on Thursday after more than 18 dead bats were discovered on Wednesday in the premises of a government school in Nahan, triggering a panic among locals. For those unversed, Nipah virus, spread by fruit bats, causes communicable disease and is fatal for both animals and humans. The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, drowsiness, respiratory illness, disorientation and mental confusion. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these signs and symptoms can progress to coma within 24-48 hours.

Kerala: Nipah virus hampers tourism, locals blame media

As I have observed for a long time now,&nbsp; &lsquo;explosions&rsquo; of different forms of online victimisations targeting women and children are very common. What we need to be aware of is, victimisations or harassments do not always generate from either social media interactions with others or photo sharing apps like Instagram.

It may generate from electronic devices too, especially, when the same has been &lsquo;hacked&rsquo; or some spyware has been installed in it, or it has been &lsquo;infected&rsquo; by some virus like the &lsquo;time bomb&rsquo;. The latter may deactivate the whole computer system after a certain point of time and without any prior notice.

I, myself, had a bitter experience with this virus once upon a time when my computer crashed with all important projects half done. But what is terrifying, particularly for women and children is when a spyware gets installed. Often I get to see women and teenagers complaining about sudden opening of camera devices in the electronic device, including the phone, prior information about geolocation of the owner of the device and, in some extreme cases, people have also complained about the ideas being executed by others before the same can be executed by the original owner.

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<h5>Installing spyware in devices can be done by sending an email attachment and sending malicious hyperlinks.</h5>
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It may so happen that when a victim comes to the police with such complaints, the police may consider the complainer as an insane person who may want to waste the time of the officers concerned. But, in fact, such misuse of technology is a reality which everyone, including the owner of the device, must understand.

Installing spyware in devices can be done by sending an email attachment or even by sending malicious hyperlinks with text that may convince the receiver to believe that the mail /message/attachment is something important to be opened and viewed.

In certain occasions, even if the device is updated with anti-spyware software, the receiver of such e-mails may receive secondary messages to open or install features which will save the data from being deleted or from any other security breaches.

The problem is acuter for new handlers of Android devices, children and, in some cases senior citizens, who may have newly acquired such devices. Devices handled by children are most prone to security breaches because children may try to download games and songs from various sources. Such games may themselves be spyware software.

I have observed in several cases that the owners of Android devices have actually faced problems because of being perpetually logged into email accounts or Facebook profiles. It is for these reasons that we get to see so many online suggestions and advices to log out from all accounts in all devices after finishing the work, or never to open malicious and suspicious emails and attachments.

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<h5>Information and digital communication technology users have become more alert than before but we should not undermine &lsquo;accidents&rsquo;.</h5>
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We need to understand that even though our Information Technology Act, 2000(amended in 2008) provides the mechanism to criminalise an unauthorised access to computers, devices and data, the burden of proof always falls upon the victim. In case such infected device has been used to create a great financial loss to the owner of the device as well as to others, it may be a cumbersome affair to get the chain of evidence.

Given the fact that information and digital communication technology users have become more alert than before, we should not undermine &lsquo;accidents&rsquo;. New owners of Android devices, especially children must be sensitised about the risks of cyber security issues and data breach. They should be cautioned and instructed so as not to manhandle devices. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Devices handled by children are most prone to security breaches because children may try to download games and songs from various sources. Such games may themselves be spyware software

As I have observed for a long time now, ‘explosions’ of different forms of online victimisations targeting women and children are very common. What we need to be aware of is, victimisations or harassments do not always generate from either social media interactions with others or photo sharing apps like Instagram. It may generate from electronic devices too, especially, when the same has been ‘hacked’ or some spyware has been installed in it, or it has been ‘infected’ by some virus like the ‘time bomb’. The latter may deactivate the whole computer system after a certain point of time and without any prior notice. I, myself, had a bitter experience with this virus once upon a time when my computer crashed with all important projects half done. But what is terrifying, particularly for women and children is when a spyware gets installed. Often I get to see women and teenagers complaining about sudden opening of camera devices in the electronic device, including the phone, prior information about geolocation of the owner of the device and, in some extreme cases, people have also complained about the ideas being executed by others before the same can be executed by the original owner. Installing spyware in devices can be done by sending an email attachment and sending malicious hyperlinks. × It may so happen that when a victim comes to the police with such complaints, the police may consider the complainer as an insane person who may want to waste the time of the officers concerned. But, in fact, such misuse of technology is a reality which everyone, including the owner of the device, must understand. Installing spyware in devices can be done by sending an email attachment or even by sending malicious hyperlinks with text that may convince the receiver to believe that the mail /message/attachment is something important to be opened and viewed. In certain occasions, even if the device is updated with anti-spyware software, the receiver of such e-mails may receive secondary messages to open or install features which will save the data from being deleted or from any other security breaches. The problem is acuter for new handlers of Android devices, children and, in some cases senior citizens, who may have newly acquired such devices. Devices handled by children are most prone to security breaches because children may try to download games and songs from various sources. Such games may themselves be spyware software. I have observed in several cases that the owners of Android devices have actually faced problems because of being perpetually logged into email accounts or Facebook profiles. It is for these reasons that we get to see so many online suggestions and advices to log out from all accounts in all devices after finishing the work, or never to open malicious and suspicious emails and attachments. Information and digital communication technology users have become more alert than before but we should not undermine ‘accidents’. × We need to understand that even though our Information Technology Act, 2000(amended in 2008) provides the mechanism to criminalise an unauthorised access to computers, devices and data, the burden of proof always falls upon the victim. In case such infected device has been used to create a great financial loss to the owner of the device as well as to others, it may be a cumbersome affair to get the chain of evidence. Given the fact that information and digital communication technology users have become more alert than before, we should not undermine ‘accidents’. New owners of Android devices, especially children must be sensitised about the risks of cyber security issues and data breach. They should be cautioned and instructed so as not to manhandle devices. It is always better to be safe than sorry. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Electronic devices are risky for women and children

Governments turned their attention to a possible new wave of cyber threats after the group that leaked US&nbsp;hacking tools used to launch the global WannaCry &quot;ransomware&quot; attack warned it would release more malicious code.

The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign, which has infected more than 3,00,000 computers worldwide since Friday, eased for second day on Tuesday, but the identity and motive of its creators remain unknown.

The attack includes elements that belong to the US&nbsp;National Security Agency and were leaked online last month.

Shadow Brokers, the group that has taken credit for that leak, threatened on Tuesday to release more recent code to enable hackers to break into the world&#39;s most widely used computers, software and phones.

A blog post written by the group promised from June to release tools every month to anyone willing to pay for access to some of the tech world&#39;s biggest commercial secrets.

It also threatened to dump data from banks using the SWIFT international money transfer network and from Russian, Chinese, Iranian or North Korean nuclear and missile programs. &quot;More details in June,&quot; it promised.

The spread of the WannaCry attack - which encrypts a user&#39;s data and demands a &quot;ransom&quot; be paid electronically to free it up again - slowed to a trickle on Tuesday, with few, isolated examples being reported.

In Canada, the Universite de Montreal was hit, with 120 of the French-language university&rsquo;s 8,300 computers affected, according to a university spokeswoman.

There were no new, major incidents in the United States. Fewer than 10 US&nbsp;organisations have reported attacks to the Department of Homeland Security since Friday, a US&nbsp;official told reporters on Tuesday.

The attack has caused most damage in Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and India, according to Czech security firm Avast.

The United States likely avoided greater harm as the attack targeted older versions of Microsoft&#39;s Windows operating system, and more US&nbsp;users have licensed, up-to-date, patched versions of the software, compared to other regions of the world.

The Department of Homeland Security began an &quot;aggressive awareness campaign&quot; to alert the tech industry to the importance of installing the patch that Microsoft issued in March that protected users from the vulnerability exploited by the attack, a US&nbsp;official working on the attack told Reuters.

Microsoft said on Tuesday it was aware of Shadow Brokers&#39; most recent claim and that its security teams monitor potential threats in order to &quot;help us prioritise and take appropriate action.&quot;

Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said earlier this week the WannaCry attack used elements stolen from the NSA. The US&nbsp;government has not commented directly on the matter.

North Korea link probed

Cyber security researchers around the world have said they have found evidence that could link North Korea with the WannaCry cyber attack.

A researcher from South Korea&#39;s Hauri Labs said on Tuesday their own findings matched those of Symantecand Kaspersky, who said on Monday that some code in an earlier version of the WannaCry software had also appeared in programs used by the Lazarus Group, identified by some researchers as a North Korea-run hacking operation.

&quot;It is similar to North Korea&#39;s backdoor malicious codes,&quot; said Simon Choi, a senior researcher with Hauri who has done extensive research into North Korea&#39;s hacking capabilities and advises South Korean police and National Intelligence Service.

Both Symantec and Kaspersky said it was too early to tell whether North Korea was involved in the attacks, based on the evidence that was published on Twitter by Google security researcher Neel Mehta.

FireEye, another large cyber security firm, said it was also investigating, but it was cautious about drawing a link to North Korea.

&quot;The similarities we see between malware linked to that group and WannaCry are not unique enough to be strongly suggestive of a common operator,&quot; FireEye researcher John Miller said.

US&nbsp;and European security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that it was too early to say who might be behind the attacks, but they did not rule out North Korea as a suspect.

The Lazarus hackers, acting for impoverished North Korea, have been more brazen in their pursuit of financial gain than others, and have been blamed for the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, according to some cyber security firms. The United States accused it of being behind a cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014.

North Korea has denied being behind the Sony and banking attacks. North Korean officials were not immediately available for comment and its state media has been quiet about the matter.

No information to share

In China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information to share, when asked about the origin of the attack and whether North Korea might be connected.

Several Asian countries have been affected by the malware, although the impact has not been as widespread as some had feared.

In Malaysia, cyber security firm LE Global Services said it identified 12 cases so far, including a large government-linked corporation, a government-linked investment firm and an insurance company. It did not name any of the entities.

&quot;We may not see the real picture yet, as companies are not mandated to disclose security breaches to authorities in Malaysia,&quot; said LE Global CEO Fong Choong Fook.

&quot;The real situation may be serious. In one of the cases, the attack was traced back to early April.&quot;

Vietnam&#39;s state media said on Tuesday more than 200 computers had been affected, but one of the country&#39;s leading anti virus companies, Bkav, later put the figure at 1,900.

Taiwan Power said that nearly 800 of its computers were affected, although these were used for administration, not for systems involved in electricity generation.

(Reuters)

The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign has infected more than 300,000 computers worldwide

Governments turned their attention to a possible new wave of cyber threats after the group that leaked US hacking tools used to launch the global WannaCry "ransomware" attack warned it would release more malicious code. The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign, which has infected more than 3,00,000 computers worldwide since Friday, eased for second day on Tuesday, but the identity and motive of its creators remain unknown. The attack includes elements that belong to the US National Security Agency and were leaked online last month. Shadow Brokers, the group that has taken credit for that leak, threatened on Tuesday to release more recent code to enable hackers to break into the world's most widely used computers, software and phones. A blog post written by the group promised from June to release tools every month to anyone willing to pay for access to some of the tech world's biggest commercial secrets. It also threatened to dump data from banks using the SWIFT international money transfer network and from Russian, Chinese, Iranian or North Korean nuclear and missile programs. "More details in June," it promised. The spread of the WannaCry attack - which encrypts a user's data and demands a "ransom" be paid electronically to free it up again - slowed to a trickle on Tuesday, with few, isolated examples being reported. In Canada, the Universite de Montreal was hit, with 120 of the French-language university’s 8,300 computers affected, according to a university spokeswoman. There were no new, major incidents in the United States. Fewer than 10 US organisations have reported attacks to the Department of Homeland Security since Friday, a US official told reporters on Tuesday. The attack has caused most damage in Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and India, according to Czech security firm Avast. The United States likely avoided greater harm as the attack targeted older versions of Microsoft's Windows operating system, and more US users have licensed, up-to-date, patched versions of the software, compared to other regions of the world. The Department of Homeland Security began an "aggressive awareness campaign" to alert the tech industry to the importance of installing the patch that Microsoft issued in March that protected users from the vulnerability exploited by the attack, a US official working on the attack told Reuters. Microsoft said on Tuesday it was aware of Shadow Brokers' most recent claim and that its security teams monitor potential threats in order to "help us prioritise and take appropriate action." Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said earlier this week the WannaCry attack used elements stolen from the NSA. The US government has not commented directly on the matter. North Korea link probed Cyber security researchers around the world have said they have found evidence that could link North Korea with the WannaCry cyber attack. A researcher from South Korea's Hauri Labs said on Tuesday their own findings matched those of Symantecand Kaspersky, who said on Monday that some code in an earlier version of the WannaCry software had also appeared in programs used by the Lazarus Group, identified by some researchers as a North Korea-run hacking operation. "It is similar to North Korea's backdoor malicious codes," said Simon Choi, a senior researcher with Hauri who has done extensive research into North Korea's hacking capabilities and advises South Korean police and National Intelligence Service. Both Symantec and Kaspersky said it was too early to tell whether North Korea was involved in the attacks, based on the evidence that was published on Twitter by Google security researcher Neel Mehta. FireEye, another large cyber security firm, said it was also investigating, but it was cautious about drawing a link to North Korea. "The similarities we see between malware linked to that group and WannaCry are not unique enough to be strongly suggestive of a common operator," FireEye researcher John Miller said. US and European security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that it was too early to say who might be behind the attacks, but they did not rule out North Korea as a suspect. The Lazarus hackers, acting for impoverished North Korea, have been more brazen in their pursuit of financial gain than others, and have been blamed for the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, according to some cyber security firms. The United States accused it of being behind a cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014. North Korea has denied being behind the Sony and banking attacks. North Korean officials were not immediately available for comment and its state media has been quiet about the matter. No information to share In China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information to share, when asked about the origin of the attack and whether North Korea might be connected. Several Asian countries have been affected by the malware, although the impact has not been as widespread as some had feared. In Malaysia, cyber security firm LE Global Services said it identified 12 cases so far, including a large government-linked corporation, a government-linked investment firm and an insurance company. It did not name any of the entities. "We may not see the real picture yet, as companies are not mandated to disclose security breaches to authorities in Malaysia," said LE Global CEO Fong Choong Fook. "The real situation may be serious. In one of the cases, the attack was traced back to early April." Vietnam's state media said on Tuesday more than 200 computers had been affected, but one of the country's leading anti virus companies, Bkav, later put the figure at 1,900. Taiwan Power said that nearly 800 of its computers were affected, although these were used for administration, not for systems involved in electricity generation. (Reuters)

WannaCry: Cyber attack eases, but hacking group threatens to sell code

&nbsp;Americans Bob and Mike Bryan, the most successful doubles team in men&#39;s tennis history, have pulled out of the defence of their title at the Rio Games saying their family&#39;s health is their top priority. 
 
&quot;After countless hours of deliberation Mike and I have decided to forego the Rio Olympics,&quot; the pair wrote on their Facebook page on Saturday.&nbsp;&quot;Though we&#39;d love to compete again, as husbands and fathers, our family&#39;s health is now our top priority.&quot; 
 
Many athletes have withdrawn from the Olympics over concerns about the mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to birth defects in newborn babies and possible neurological problems in adults. 
 
The Bryan brothers are both married and Bob has three children. The pair won Olympic gold at the London 2012 Games and own 112 titles together, including 16 grand slams. 
 
&quot;Representing Team USA is one of our proudest tennis moments to date, and winning Gold in 2012 will always remain the pinnacle of our career,&quot; the brothers added.&nbsp;&quot;The Olympics means so much to us for so many reasons and the memories we have wearing the Stars and Stripes will burn brightly forever.&nbsp;Thank you to the USTA (United States Tennis Association) for the nomination and to our fans for their unwavering support.&quot; 
 
Amiable off court, a well-oiled machine on it, the Bryans have carried men&#39;s doubles for more than a decade. 
 
Ten times they have ended a year as top dogs and have held the number one ranking together for close to 450 weeks in total. 
 
They were looking forward to representing their country at a fourth Olympics, having also won bronze in Beijing in 2008, and had planned to play with gold-painted rackets. 
 
Bob described their London triumph as the pair&#39;s &quot;greatest moment&quot;, while Mike said missing out in Athens on their Olympic debut in 2004, when they were expected to medal, was a low. 
 
In an interview with Reuters at this year&#39;s Wimbledon championships Bob also stressed the importance of the Games. 
 
&quot;We know Rio will be our last Olympics, I can safely say that. It&#39;s been a huge priority. When we sat down to plan the year in December we said peaking for Rio was the goal. Winning in Rio would mean everything,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

Tennis stars are the latest to withdraw from Olympics over fear of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, linked to birth defects in newborn babies

Americans Bob and Mike Bryan, the most successful doubles team in men's tennis history, have pulled out of the defence of their title at the Rio Games saying their family's health is their top priority. "After countless hours of deliberation Mike and I have decided to forego the Rio Olympics," the pair wrote on their Facebook page on Saturday. "Though we'd love to compete again, as husbands and fathers, our family's health is now our top priority." Many athletes have withdrawn from the Olympics over concerns about the mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to birth defects in newborn babies and possible neurological problems in adults. The Bryan brothers are both married and Bob has three children. The pair won Olympic gold at the London 2012 Games and own 112 titles together, including 16 grand slams. "Representing Team USA is one of our proudest tennis moments to date, and winning Gold in 2012 will always remain the pinnacle of our career," the brothers added. "The Olympics means so much to us for so many reasons and the memories we have wearing the Stars and Stripes will burn brightly forever. Thank you to the USTA (United States Tennis Association) for the nomination and to our fans for their unwavering support." Amiable off court, a well-oiled machine on it, the Bryans have carried men's doubles for more than a decade. Ten times they have ended a year as top dogs and have held the number one ranking together for close to 450 weeks in total. They were looking forward to representing their country at a fourth Olympics, having also won bronze in Beijing in 2008, and had planned to play with gold-painted rackets. Bob described their London triumph as the pair's "greatest moment", while Mike said missing out in Athens on their Olympic debut in 2004, when they were expected to medal, was a low. In an interview with Reuters at this year's Wimbledon championships Bob also stressed the importance of the Games. "We know Rio will be our last Olympics, I can safely say that. It's been a huge priority. When we sat down to plan the year in December we said peaking for Rio was the goal. Winning in Rio would mean everything," he said. (Reuters)

Bryan brothers pull out of Rio Games, citing health concerns

A Utah resident infected with the Zika virus has died, becoming the first Zika-related fatality in the continental United States, officials said on Friday. 
 
The elderly victim, who had an underlying health condition, died in late June after traveling to a country where the mosquito-transmitted virus is active, the Salt Lake County health department said. 
 
&quot;While this individual did test positive for Zika virus, the exact cause of death has not been determined, and it may not be possible to determine how the Zika infection contributed to the death,&quot; the health department said in a statement. 
 
The victim&#39;s identity and travel history would not be released, it added. 
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in April that a man in his 70s infected with the Zika virus had died of complications from the infection on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, which is part of US territory. 
 
The virus is spreading fast on the island, infecting as many as 50 pregnant women per day, health officials said earlier this week. 
 
So far, however, no cases of locally transmitted, mosquito-borne Zika have been reported in the continental United States, the CDC said in a statement on Friday. 
 
As of July 6, a total of 1,132 cases of people who contracted the virus while traveling abroad had been registered in the United States, it said. 
 
However, health officials are bracing for outbreaks of the virus among local mosquito populations.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;CDC has been working with state, local, and territorial health officials to prepare for the possibility of locally-acquired Zika infection in the United States,&quot; the CDC said. 
 
No vaccine or treatment for the Zika virus currently exists and many of those infected will not show symptoms, the CDC says. 
 
Pregnant women are the focus of greatest concern because the virus causes birth defects. 
 
US President Barack Obama has requested $1.9 billion to fight the virus, but lawmakers are deadlocked over the issue and there are fears Congress will fail to address the growing health crisis until after its summer recess in September. 
 
(AFP)

A public health institute said the US has around 1,132 registered cases of people who contracted the virus while travelling abroad

A Utah resident infected with the Zika virus has died, becoming the first Zika-related fatality in the continental United States, officials said on Friday. The elderly victim, who had an underlying health condition, died in late June after traveling to a country where the mosquito-transmitted virus is active, the Salt Lake County health department said. "While this individual did test positive for Zika virus, the exact cause of death has not been determined, and it may not be possible to determine how the Zika infection contributed to the death," the health department said in a statement. The victim's identity and travel history would not be released, it added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in April that a man in his 70s infected with the Zika virus had died of complications from the infection on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, which is part of US territory. The virus is spreading fast on the island, infecting as many as 50 pregnant women per day, health officials said earlier this week. So far, however, no cases of locally transmitted, mosquito-borne Zika have been reported in the continental United States, the CDC said in a statement on Friday. As of July 6, a total of 1,132 cases of people who contracted the virus while traveling abroad had been registered in the United States, it said. However, health officials are bracing for outbreaks of the virus among local mosquito populations. "CDC has been working with state, local, and territorial health officials to prepare for the possibility of locally-acquired Zika infection in the United States," the CDC said. No vaccine or treatment for the Zika virus currently exists and many of those infected will not show symptoms, the CDC says. Pregnant women are the focus of greatest concern because the virus causes birth defects. US President Barack Obama has requested $1.9 billion to fight the virus, but lawmakers are deadlocked over the issue and there are fears Congress will fail to address the growing health crisis until after its summer recess in September. (AFP)

Continental US records first Zika-related death

Florida on Tuesday reported its first case of a baby born with the birth defect microcephaly, after the child&#39;s mother was infected with the Zika virus while pregnant, officials said. 
 
The mother, a citizen of Haiti, contracted Zika in Haiti and came to Florida to deliver the baby, said a statement from Governor Rick Scotts office.&nbsp;The Florida Department of Health confirmed the case. 
 
Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes but can also be spread by sexual contact. 
 
&quot;It is heartbreaking to learn that a baby has been born with Zika-related microcephaly in our state and my thoughts and prayers are with the mother and child,&quot; Scott said in a statement. 
 
The Florida governor said he has allocated $26.2 million in state funds for Zika preparedness, prevention and response, as federal funding has stalled in Washington. 
 
&quot;The Olympics will begin in less than 40 days and millions of Americans will travel through our state to and from Brazil, a country where the Zika virus is rapidly spreading, and we must be prepared,&quot; said Scott. 
 
Zika can cause microcephaly, an irreversible condition in which babies are born with unusually small heads and deformed brains. 
 
Four infants have been born with birth defects related to the Zika virus in the United States, including in Hawaii and New Jersey, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
 
However, the CDC declined to give a state-by-state breakdown. 
 
There have been four US pregnancy losses involving Zika, and one in the US territory of Puerto Rico, the agency said, without offering details on whether the cases involved miscarriage or abortion. 
 
(AFP)

Florida's governor has said that he has allocated $26.2 million in state funds for Zika preparedness, prevention and response

Florida on Tuesday reported its first case of a baby born with the birth defect microcephaly, after the child's mother was infected with the Zika virus while pregnant, officials said. The mother, a citizen of Haiti, contracted Zika in Haiti and came to Florida to deliver the baby, said a statement from Governor Rick Scotts office. The Florida Department of Health confirmed the case. Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes but can also be spread by sexual contact. "It is heartbreaking to learn that a baby has been born with Zika-related microcephaly in our state and my thoughts and prayers are with the mother and child," Scott said in a statement. The Florida governor said he has allocated $26.2 million in state funds for Zika preparedness, prevention and response, as federal funding has stalled in Washington. "The Olympics will begin in less than 40 days and millions of Americans will travel through our state to and from Brazil, a country where the Zika virus is rapidly spreading, and we must be prepared," said Scott. Zika can cause microcephaly, an irreversible condition in which babies are born with unusually small heads and deformed brains. Four infants have been born with birth defects related to the Zika virus in the United States, including in Hawaii and New Jersey, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the CDC declined to give a state-by-state breakdown. There have been four US pregnancy losses involving Zika, and one in the US territory of Puerto Rico, the agency said, without offering details on whether the cases involved miscarriage or abortion. (AFP)

Florida reports first baby born with Zika virus defect

Almost $122 million is needed to prevent and manage the medical complications of the&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;virus spreading throughout the Americas and causing birth defects in babies, the World Health Organisation said on Friday. 
 
A specific focus is needed on supporting women and girls of child-bearing age, the UN health agency said as it set out a revised joint strategy with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) for how to handle the mosquito-borne virus. 
 
Zika&nbsp;has caused alarm throughout the Americas since cases of the birth defect microcephaly were reported in Brazil, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. 
 
The rare birth defect is marked by unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems. Brazilian authorities have confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly in babies whose mothers were exposed to&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;during pregnancy. 
 
On Thursday, US health officials reported three babies there have been born with birth defects linked to likely&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;virus infection in their mothers in pregnancy, along with three cases of lost pregnancies linked to&nbsp;Zika.. 
 
WHO director-general Margaret Chan said much had been learned about&nbsp;Zika, how it spreads, the consequences of infection and how to control it since global health authorities set out their initial response plans earlier this year. WHO declared&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;a global public health emergency in February. 
 
&quot;The response now requires a unique and integrated strategy that places support for women and girls of child-bearing age at its core,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
The plan highlights several aspects of the&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;outbreak &quot;that require a collaborative, global response,&quot; the WHO said. 
 
These include the potential for further international spread of&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;given the wide distribution of Aedes mosquitoes capable of transmitting it; the lack of population immunity in areas where Zika&nbsp;virus is circulating for the first time; and the lack of vaccines, treatments and rapid diagnostic tests. 
 
Chan said &quot;coherent funding mechanisms&quot; were essential for the plan to be implemented successfully, and noted the number of donors engaged in the global&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;response had risen to 60 from 23 in February 2016. 
 
WHO, PAHO and other agencies say they need $121.9 million to implement the revised plan from now until December 2017. 
(Reuters)

Support for women and girls of child-bearing age crucial for prevention

Almost $122 million is needed to prevent and manage the medical complications of the Zika virus spreading throughout the Americas and causing birth defects in babies, the World Health Organisation said on Friday. A specific focus is needed on supporting women and girls of child-bearing age, the UN health agency said as it set out a revised joint strategy with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) for how to handle the mosquito-borne virus. Zika has caused alarm throughout the Americas since cases of the birth defect microcephaly were reported in Brazil, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. The rare birth defect is marked by unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems. Brazilian authorities have confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly in babies whose mothers were exposed to Zika during pregnancy. On Thursday, US health officials reported three babies there have been born with birth defects linked to likely Zika virus infection in their mothers in pregnancy, along with three cases of lost pregnancies linked to Zika.. WHO director-general Margaret Chan said much had been learned about Zika, how it spreads, the consequences of infection and how to control it since global health authorities set out their initial response plans earlier this year. WHO declared Zika a global public health emergency in February. "The response now requires a unique and integrated strategy that places support for women and girls of child-bearing age at its core," she said in a statement. The plan highlights several aspects of the Zika outbreak "that require a collaborative, global response," the WHO said. These include the potential for further international spread of Zika given the wide distribution of Aedes mosquitoes capable of transmitting it; the lack of population immunity in areas where Zika virus is circulating for the first time; and the lack of vaccines, treatments and rapid diagnostic tests. Chan said "coherent funding mechanisms" were essential for the plan to be implemented successfully, and noted the number of donors engaged in the global Zika response had risen to 60 from 23 in February 2016. WHO, PAHO and other agencies say they need $121.9 million to implement the revised plan from now until December 2017. (Reuters)

$122 million needed for global response to Zika : WHO

Almost $122 million is needed to prevent and manage the medical complications of the&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;virus spreading throughout the Americas and causing birth defects in babies, the World Health Organization said on Friday. 
 
A specific focus is needed on supporting women and girls of child-bearing age, the UN health agency said as it set out a revised joint strategy with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for how to handle the mosquito-borne virus. 
 
Zika&nbsp;has caused alarm throughout the Americas since cases of the birth defect microcephaly were reported in Brazil, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. 
 
The rare birth defect is marked by unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems. Brazilian authorities have confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly in babies whose mothers were exposed to&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;during pregnancy. 
 
On Thursday, U.S. health officials reported three babies there have been born with birth defects linked to likely&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;virus infection in their mothers in pregnancy, along with three cases of lost pregnancies linked to&nbsp;Zika.. 
 
WHO director-general Margaret Chan said much had been learned about&nbsp;Zika, how it spreads, the consequences of infection and how to control it since global health authorities set out their initial response plans earlier this year. WHO declared&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;a global public health emergency in February. 
 
&quot;The response now requires a unique and integrated strategy that places support for women and girls of child-bearing age at its core,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
The plan highlights several aspects of the&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;outbreak &quot;that require a collaborative, global response,&quot; the WHO said. 
 
These include, the potential for further international spread of&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;given the wide distribution of Aedes mosquitoes capable of transmitting it; the lack of population immunity in areas whereZika&nbsp;virus is circulating for the first time; and the lack of vaccines, treatments and rapid diagnostic tests. 
 
Chan said &quot;coherent funding mechanisms&quot; were essential for the plan to be implemented successfully, and noted the number of donors engaged in the global&nbsp;Zika&nbsp;response had risen to 60 from 23 in February 2016. 
 
WHO, PAHO and other agencies say they need $121.9 million to implement the revised plan from now until December 2017. 
 
(Reuters)

The UN health agency's plan highlights several aspects of the?Zika?outbreak "that require a collaborative, global response"

Almost $122 million is needed to prevent and manage the medical complications of the Zika virus spreading throughout the Americas and causing birth defects in babies, the World Health Organization said on Friday. A specific focus is needed on supporting women and girls of child-bearing age, the UN health agency said as it set out a revised joint strategy with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for how to handle the mosquito-borne virus. Zika has caused alarm throughout the Americas since cases of the birth defect microcephaly were reported in Brazil, the country hardest hit by the outbreak. The rare birth defect is marked by unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems. Brazilian authorities have confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly in babies whose mothers were exposed to Zika during pregnancy. On Thursday, U.S. health officials reported three babies there have been born with birth defects linked to likely Zika virus infection in their mothers in pregnancy, along with three cases of lost pregnancies linked to Zika.. WHO director-general Margaret Chan said much had been learned about Zika, how it spreads, the consequences of infection and how to control it since global health authorities set out their initial response plans earlier this year. WHO declared Zika a global public health emergency in February. "The response now requires a unique and integrated strategy that places support for women and girls of child-bearing age at its core," she said in a statement. The plan highlights several aspects of the Zika outbreak "that require a collaborative, global response," the WHO said. These include, the potential for further international spread of Zika given the wide distribution of Aedes mosquitoes capable of transmitting it; the lack of population immunity in areas whereZika virus is circulating for the first time; and the lack of vaccines, treatments and rapid diagnostic tests. Chan said "coherent funding mechanisms" were essential for the plan to be implemented successfully, and noted the number of donors engaged in the global Zika response had risen to 60 from 23 in February 2016. WHO, PAHO and other agencies say they need $121.9 million to implement the revised plan from now until December 2017. (Reuters)

USD 122m needed for global response to Zika: WHO

Guinea has reached the end of active Ebola virus transmission, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday, the second such declaration from the country at the epicentre of the global&nbsp;outbreak of the disease.

The proclamation was made because the person with Guinea&#39;s last confirmed case tested negative for the second time more than 42 days ago.

Guinea will now enter a 90-day period of heightened surveillance to make sure of the identification of any new cases before they spread to others.

In the most recent outbreak, seven confirmed and three possible cases of the virus surfaced between March 17 and April 6. At least five people died.

Another three cases were recorded in neighbouring Liberia in a woman who had travelled from Guinea and her two children.

The flare-up seems to have occurred after a person came into contact with infected body fluid from an Ebola survivor, WHO said. Since the virus can remain active in certain body fluids for months, the WHO cautions the risk of outbreaks remain.

However, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday that the organisation was confident that affected countries were prepared and could deal with flare-ups efficiently.

Guinea is believed to be where the world&#39;s worst Ebola outbreak occurred, spanning three countries primarily and killing 11,310 people. It first declared itself free of transmission in December.

Guinea has reached the end of active Ebola virus transmission, the World Health Organisation said, the second such declaration from the country at the global epicentre of the disease.

Guinea has reached the end of active Ebola virus transmission, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday, the second such declaration from the country at the epicentre of the global outbreak of the disease. The proclamation was made because the person with Guinea's last confirmed case tested negative for the second time more than 42 days ago. Guinea will now enter a 90-day period of heightened surveillance to make sure of the identification of any new cases before they spread to others. In the most recent outbreak, seven confirmed and three possible cases of the virus surfaced between March 17 and April 6. At least five people died. Another three cases were recorded in neighbouring Liberia in a woman who had travelled from Guinea and her two children. The flare-up seems to have occurred after a person came into contact with infected body fluid from an Ebola survivor, WHO said. Since the virus can remain active in certain body fluids for months, the WHO cautions the risk of outbreaks remain. However, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday that the organisation was confident that affected countries were prepared and could deal with flare-ups efficiently. Guinea is believed to be where the world's worst Ebola outbreak occurred, spanning three countries primarily and killing 11,310 people. It first declared itself free of transmission in December.

Guinea declared free of active Ebola transmission - WHO

The latest outbreak of Ebola in Guinea has ended, the World Health Organization said today, warning that a recurrence of the killer tropical disease still remained a threat.&nbsp; 
The last known Ebola patient in the west African country was discharged from hospital in April.&nbsp; 
WHO has declared the end to an outbreak, also known as the end to viral transmission, 42 days after the last known patient was tested negative for the second time.&nbsp; 
&quot;WHO commends the Government of Guinea and its people on ending this Ebola outbreak,&quot; said Abou Bekr Gaye, the UN agency`s representative in Guinea.&nbsp; 
He called for vigilance to &quot;stop any new cases that may occur.&quot; 
In the three countries hit hardest by the Ebola crisis -- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone -- fresh cases emerged after an outbreak was declared over.&nbsp; 
The worst-ever Ebola epidemic began in Guinea in December 2013 and went on to kill more than 11,300 people, devastating economies and health systems in the worst affected countries, while testing the world`s capacity to respond to a global health emergency.&nbsp;

An outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea, which was earlier confined to countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, was the first ever outbreak in a west African country. Since March 2014, West Africa has had the largest outbreak in history, with countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea being the worst affected.

The latest outbreak of Ebola in Guinea has ended, the World Health Organization said today, warning that a recurrence of the killer tropical disease still remained a threat. The last known Ebola patient in the west African country was discharged from hospital in April. WHO has declared the end to an outbreak, also known as the end to viral transmission, 42 days after the last known patient was tested negative for the second time. "WHO commends the Government of Guinea and its people on ending this Ebola outbreak," said Abou Bekr Gaye, the UN agency`s representative in Guinea. He called for vigilance to "stop any new cases that may occur." In the three countries hit hardest by the Ebola crisis -- Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone -- fresh cases emerged after an outbreak was declared over. The worst-ever Ebola epidemic began in Guinea in December 2013 and went on to kill more than 11,300 people, devastating economies and health systems in the worst affected countries, while testing the world`s capacity to respond to a global health emergency.

Latest Ebola outbreak in Guinea is over: WHO

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported.

The baby girl is suffering from severe microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems, after she was delivered through cesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, the news website NorthJersey.com reported.

U.S.&nbsp;health&nbsp;officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,300 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers.

The unidentified premature newborn also suffers from intestinal and visual issues, Manny Alvarez, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Hackensack, told NorthJersey.com.

&quot;You could see the pain in her heart,&quot; Alvarez said of the mother, the website reported.

Hospital officials were not available for comment.

The unidentified 31-year-old mother was staying with relatives after she arrived in the United States more than a month ago from Honduras, where she was bitten by a mosquito, Alvarez said.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways that Zika may spread.

In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a U.S. woman who had lived in Brazil gave birth to a microcephalic baby in Hawaii.

The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit.

Honduras is the Central American country with the highest number of Zika cases, with 19,000 infections, and at least 238 pregnant women infected. It has also detected at least 78 Guillain-Barre cases.

There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported.

A baby suffering from a birth defect caused by the Zika virus was born on Tuesday in New Jersey to a woman visiting from Honduras who is infected with virus after she was bitten by a mosquito early on in her pregnancy, media reported. The baby girl is suffering from severe microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems, after she was delivered through cesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, the news website NorthJersey.com reported. U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,300 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. The unidentified premature newborn also suffers from intestinal and visual issues, Manny Alvarez, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Hackensack, told NorthJersey.com. "You could see the pain in her heart," Alvarez said of the mother, the website reported. Hospital officials were not available for comment. The unidentified 31-year-old mother was staying with relatives after she arrived in the United States more than a month ago from Honduras, where she was bitten by a mosquito, Alvarez said. Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways that Zika may spread. In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a U.S. woman who had lived in Brazil gave birth to a microcephalic baby in Hawaii. The Zika outbreak is affecting large parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, with Brazil the hardest hit. Honduras is the Central American country with the highest number of Zika cases, with 19,000 infections, and at least 238 pregnant women infected. It has also detected at least 78 Guillain-Barre cases. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 percent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected.

Baby born with birth defect in New Jersey to mother infected by Zika

Japanese scientists have developed a new tool that can predict the risk of Zika virus importation and local transmission around the world. 
Countries that are well connected to/from Brazil have been at particularly high risk of importation, researchers said. 
However, subtropical and tropical countries with a history of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases have the greatest risk of the virus spreading once it arrives in the country, they said. 
This means many nations in South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, face the highest risk of infection and should take measures to prevent mosquito bites, researchers said. 
France, southern parts of China, and the UAE also fall into this category having experienced previous outbreaks. 
&quot;We have shown that the predicted risk of local transmission was frequently seen in tropical and subtropical countries with dengue or chikungunya epidemic experience, while the risk of importation was more scattered around the world,&quot; said Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor of hygiene at Hokkaido University. 
The Zika virus was first found in Uganda in 1947, and then detected in 39 countries around the world, including the US, India and Japan, researchers said. 
In early 2015, a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was soon followed by a high number of microcephaly cases, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. 
The link between the two is not definitively understood, but is strongly suspected. Since the Brazil outbreak, Zika virus has been detected in an additional 39 countries, including in Europe, the UK, South America and Asia. 
Many researchers are working to anticipate the virus&#39;s potential spread, especially given that it can be carried by lightly infected travellers and then passed onto others by mosquitoes. 
Global concern and attention are elevated with thousands of visitors set to attend the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this summer. 
Nishiura and colleagues predicted the virus&#39; potential of importation and local transmission by the end of this year using a survival analysis model, information about airline transportation networks, and transmission data for dengue and chikungunya viruses, which are also transmitted by the same mosquito species. 
They collected Zika data up to January 31 this year and they note that new cases were confirmed in more countries shortly thereafter.

In early 2015, a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was followed by a high number of microcephaly cases, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. In January 2016, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued travel guidance on affected countries, including the use of enhanced precautions, and guidelines for pregnant women.

Japanese scientists have developed a new tool that can predict the risk of Zika virus importation and local transmission around the world. Countries that are well connected to/from Brazil have been at particularly high risk of importation, researchers said. However, subtropical and tropical countries with a history of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases have the greatest risk of the virus spreading once it arrives in the country, they said. This means many nations in South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, face the highest risk of infection and should take measures to prevent mosquito bites, researchers said. France, southern parts of China, and the UAE also fall into this category having experienced previous outbreaks. "We have shown that the predicted risk of local transmission was frequently seen in tropical and subtropical countries with dengue or chikungunya epidemic experience, while the risk of importation was more scattered around the world," said Hiroshi Nishiura, a professor of hygiene at Hokkaido University. The Zika virus was first found in Uganda in 1947, and then detected in 39 countries around the world, including the US, India and Japan, researchers said. In early 2015, a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was soon followed by a high number of microcephaly cases, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. The link between the two is not definitively understood, but is strongly suspected. Since the Brazil outbreak, Zika virus has been detected in an additional 39 countries, including in Europe, the UK, South America and Asia. Many researchers are working to anticipate the virus's potential spread, especially given that it can be carried by lightly infected travellers and then passed onto others by mosquitoes. Global concern and attention are elevated with thousands of visitors set to attend the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this summer. Nishiura and colleagues predicted the virus' potential of importation and local transmission by the end of this year using a survival analysis model, information about airline transportation networks, and transmission data for dengue and chikungunya viruses, which are also transmitted by the same mosquito species. They collected Zika data up to January 31 this year and they note that new cases were confirmed in more countries shortly thereafter.

Japanese scientists develop new tool to predict spread of Zika virus

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