WHO: Zika Virus Spread Is ‘Explosive’

The World Health Organization has set up an emergency committee to address what it calls the “explosive” spread of Zika, a virus that has been linked to birth defects and infected people in at least 22 countries. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said it is “deeply concerning” that the virus is so widely spread so quickly and anticipates between 3 and 4 million cases in the Americas alone. There is no vaccine or cure for Zika. Chan added, “The level of alarm is extremely high. Arrival of the virus in some cases has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads.”