The Zika virus, explained

Why Zika was just declared a global health emergency.



Three years ago, the Zika virus was nowhere to be found in the Western Hemisphere. To date, the largest outbreak occurred in French Polynesia in 2013 with 383 reported cases. But in 2015, Brazil suddenly found itself with an unprecedented Zika outbreak. More than a million people have been infected by the mosquito-transmitted—and potentially sexually transmitted disease.

The mosquito-borne virus doesn't seem to harm most of its victims. But there's increasing evidence that it can cause serious damage to the brains of fetuses and, in rare instances, devastating neurological problems in adults.

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[florbz]

This is so sad...the worst kinds of diseases are the ones that are hereditary. The babies can't avoid it...don't even get a fair chance at life.

[wessywes]

Sounded like she was struggling to read that script.

[nanaespacini]

And the sad part is, women aren't allowed to get safe abortions in cases like this & treatments and medicine for microcephaly is very very very expensive, so poor women are left with babies that will maybe live to one year old. It's just... All too sad.

[PaulTeichman]

Is this video narrated by Christopher Walkens daughter? She makes some weird pauses.

[eddytritten]

Your graphic/motion designer is/are amazing!

[letzsee]

Could this be a nature's way of slowing down overpopulation?

[artsmart]

If you're really paying attention and doing a little research it's easy to see what's really occurring through this dis-ease.

[Ahnobayan]

2020 coronavirus:Allow us to introduce ourselves

[markgriffiths]

thank you that really helped my son in his project

[Kameliius]

Now there's even a more gruesome virus than Zika

[mattfrankman]

I'm sorta scared though, I've recently visited Colombia for over a month during this outbreak, yet somehow I was completely oblivious to the whole thing.

[Buenomars]

I would like to see more adults with microcephaly speak out about this virus, like that 24 year-old journalist from Brazil.

[peopleintrees]

Just another reason to hate mosquito's. I saw one in my house the other day and, threw my girlfriend out of the room and flattened it!

[delirius]

I come back to this video to help put 5 years into perspective.

[kkfplease]

If women get Zika then let's say a year later they get pregnant, does it still affect the fetus?

[auditus-musicchill]

one of this voiceover people has a very monotone and expressionless voice

[imrannazir]

But but but I have seen adults with micro cephalothorax in Pakistan. Was the cause Zika?

[impralx]

Malaria... dengue fever.. and now zika... damn... can we just eradicate the mosquitoes and make them extinct !?

[matthewcharles]

I live in Trinidad and Tobago and there's already several cases reported. this thing is spreading like wildfire

[pyryvirtanen]

Let's hope this spreads to India and China to slow down the rapid population growth.