Epidemiological update: Outbreaks of Zika virus and complications potentially linked to the Zika virus infection, 6 November 2016

​Weekly summary

Since 1 February 2016, Zika virus infection and the related clusters of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Since 2015, and as of 3 November 2016, there have been 70 countries and territories reporting mosquito-borne transmission of the virus. According to WHO and as of 26 October 2016, 23 countries or territories have reported microcephaly and other central nervous system (CNS) malformations in newborns potentially associated with Zika virus infection.

• In the USA, 7 new locally-acquired cases have been reported in Florida since the last CDTR, bringing the cumulative number of locally-acquired cases to 188.
• Bolivia and Vietnam have both confirmed the first microcephaly case potentially associated with Zika virus infection.
• ECDC Zika map: The last reported case in Broward County, Florida, was reported on 29 July 2016. Therefore, Broward County will be represented as 'past transmission'.
• ECDC published the ninth update of the Zika rapid risk assessment on 28 October.

Update on number of cases

USAFive locally-acquired cases were recorded in Florida during the last week. To date, 188 locally-acquired and 776 imported cases of Zika have been reported in Florida. The distribution of the locally-acquired cases is as follows: 176 in Miami-Dade County, five in Palm Beach County, one in Pinellas County and one in Broward County. The location of exposure for the remaining cases is still under investigation.

 

EU/EEA imported cases Since July 2015 (week 26), 20 countries (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) have reported 1 944 travel-associated Zika virus infections through The European Surveillance System (TESSy). Over the same time period, seven EU countries reported 91 Zika cases among pregnant women.

 

Since February 2016, 12 countries have reported evidence of person-to-person transmission of Zika virus, probably via a sexual route.

 

Update on microcephaly and/or central nervous system (CNS) malformations potentially associated with Zika virus infection

 

As of 26 October 2016, microcephaly and other central nervous system (CNS) malformations associated with Zika virus infection or suggestive of congenital infection have been reported by 23 countries or territories. Brazil reports the highest number of cases. Nineteen countries and territories worldwide have reported an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and/or laboratory confirmation of a Zika virus infection among GBS cases.



 

ECDC Asessment

The spread of the Zika virus in the Americas and Asia is likely to continue as the vectors (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes) are widely distributed there. The likelihood of travel-related cases in the EU is increasing. A detailed risk assessment was published on 28 October 2016. As neither treatment nor vaccines are available, prevention is based on personal protection measures. Pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel to Zika-affected areas.

 

 

Countries and territories with reported confirmed autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection in the past three months, as of 4 November 2016   

The classification of countries above is based on: 1) number of reported autochthonous confirmed cases; 2) number of countries who report a zika virus transmission or a country’s transmission status changes; 3) duration of the circulation.

Countries or territories with reported confirmed autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection in the past three months, as of 21 October 2016

All latest ECDC maps with information on countries or territories with reported confirmed autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection