What is Zika Virus?

The mosquito-borne Zika virus is sweeping through South America — and could infect hundreds of thousands of people, governments have warned.

The disease has already infected thousands of people across Colombia and Brazil, governments there have said. And if it follows the spread of other similar viruses those numbers could reach into the hundreds of thousands, reports The Independent.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the Flaviviridae virus family and the Flavivirus genus. The virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas, warns the World Health Organization (WHO).

US health authorities Friday expanded a travel warning for pregnant women to avoid 22 places in Latin America and the Caribbean due to the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects.

Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Guyana, Cape Verde and Samoa are now included in the level two travel alert issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika. The infection, which causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache, has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America.

It has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and some countries have advised women not to get pregnant. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.

Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. Deaths are rare. The virus is native to Africa and was first found to be spreading in the Americas in Brazil in May 2015. The lack of any natural immunity in the Americas is thought to be helping the infection to spread rapidly.

No treatment or vaccine is available. Treatment is only for symptoms. Patients are advised to: Get plenty of rest; Drink fluids to prevent dehydration; Take medicines, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain; Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen.

Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication.