Modern World History Capstone 2017- Dahlberg: Zika Virus

Questions to Consider About The Zika Virus

• What can be done to prevent the spread of the zika virus?
• How will this virus affect poor populations in the countries that are affected? Who will help with the cost of raising children who are born with microcephaly? 
• What is the best way to eradicate mosquitoes to prevent the spread of zika? Are some of these ways dangerous to the environment or to humans?
• Will there be enough money to pay for a vaccine for everyone in the affected countries when the vaccine become available? 
• Have other conditions, such as global warming or world poverty, contributed to the spread of the zika virus? What can nations do in response?

How Zika spreads

Zika can be transmitted through

• Through mosquito bites
• From a pregnant woman to her fetus
• Through sex
• Through blood transfusion (very likely but not confirmed)

Zika symptoms

Many people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika are

• Fever
• Rash
• Joint pain
• Red eyes

Other symptoms include:

• Muscle pain
• Headache

Symptoms can last for several days to a week. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. Once a person has been infected with Zika, they are likely to be protected from future infections.

Information from: CDC Zika Overview