Adolescent Girl Is LA County’s First Confirmed Zika Case
Health officials say the patient has since recovered. The World Health Organization is holding an emergency meeting to decide if the Zika virus requires a coordinated global response. Meanwhile, public officials warn that a vaccine is years away.
The Associated Press:
First Zika Virus Case Confirmed In Los Angeles County
Health officials say an adolescent girl who traveled from Los Angeles County to El Salvador late last year was infected with the mosquito-transmitted Zika virus. The department of public health said Tuesday that the girl, the county's first known case of Zika, has since recovered. She traveled in November to Central America, where she probably contracted the illness. (1/29)
USA Today:
WHO To Hold Emergency Meeting Monday On Zika Virus
The World Health Organization will hold an emergency meeting Monday to find ways to battle the Zika virus, which is linked to birth defects and "spreading explosively" through the Americas. The WHO could classify the Zika outbreak now in 25 countries and territories as a "public health emergency of international concern," deserving of a coordinated global response. (Szabo, 1/31)
The New York Times:
Vaccine for Zika Virus May Be Years Away, Disease Experts Warn
As public health officials warn that the Zika virus is swiftly spreading across the Americas, the search is on to develop a vaccine to halt the disease, which could infect as many as four million people by the end of the year and has been linked to severe birth defects. But even as a host of companies have announced plans to develop a vaccine, disease experts say it could be years — maybe as long as a decade — before an effective product makes its way to the public. Not only are scientists still learning about the virus, which until recently was viewed as relatively benign, but any vaccine must go through rigorous testing to ensure that it is safe and effective. (Thomas, 1/29)