WHO says Georgia, parts of Russia are at high risk of Zika virus

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Zika virus is expected to reach parts of Europe this summer, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says the risk of an outbreak is "low to moderate," Nature World News reports.

According to WHO, areas most at risk are Madeira and parts of Russia and Georgia on the Black Sea coast. These places are said to have populations of the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, which are known to carry the Zika virus. Armenia, on the other hand, has very low risk, WHO said.

Report also said that 18 countries, which is about a third of Europe, are at moderate risk due to the presence of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. This included popular tourist destinations Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Others with moderate risk are Malta, Croatia, Israel, Monaco, San Marino, Turkey, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Georgia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Thirty-six countries or 66% have low risk or no likelihood of risk, which includes the UK.

WHO's European risk analysis considered multiple factors, which include the presence of Zika-transmitting mosquitoes, suitable climates for mosquito breeding, previous history of transmission of other viruses such as dengue or chikungunya, ship and flight connections, and population density and urbanization, Nature World News says.

WHO is pushing countries to eliminate mosquito-breeding sites and to make sure that people, especially pregnant women, are provided enough information about the potential harmful effects of the disease.