The World Health Organization declared Friday that the Zika virus is no longer a public health emergency, but emphasized it is still a major problem that is going to require a long-term response.
The WHO declared earlier this year that the virus’ link to the birth defect microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads, was a public health emergency. The declaration, similar to other outbreaks such as the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa, opened up new funding streams.
“We are not downgrading the importance of Zika,” said Dr. Pete Salama with WHO in a press conference Friday. “By placing this in a longer term program of work, we are sending the message that Zika is here to stay and WHO’s response is here to stay.”
The agency said that long-term programs to fight the Zika virus are being put into place.
Zika is spread via mosquito bites, and just like other mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue and Chikungunya, there will be a “season where there is increased transmission and a season where there is not,” said Dr. David Heymann of the WHO.
As of Nov. 16, there have been 4,115 travel-related cases of Zika in the United States. There are more than 200 locally transmitted cases of the virus within Florida, which appears to be the only state with local transmissions. The transmissions have mostly centered in Miami-Dade County.
