The outbreak of the Zika virus in the Americas is a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organisation ruled yesterday.
A WHO emergency committee backed “aggressive measures” to reduce infection, especially among pregnant women and women of child-bearing age.
The link between the virus and microcephaly in babies has not been proved – but WHO revealed there had been a similar cluster of neurological disorders in French Polynesia in 2014 following a Zika outbreak.
The virus is transmitted by common mosquitoes.
The committee called for intensified research into vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.
WHO said the outbreak should not lead to travel restrictions – but that travellers should be warned of the risk of how to protect themselves against mosquito bites.
WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said: “The experts agreed that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven.
“All agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better.
“The experts also considered patterns of recent spread and the broad geographical distribution of mosquito species that can transmit the virus.
“The lack of vaccines and rapid and reliable diagnostic tests, and the absence of population immunity in newly affected countries were cited as further causes for concern.”
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