The WHO health officials said on Wednesday that he Zika virus, an infectious disease linked to severe birth defects in babies, may spread into Europe as the weather gets warmer, however, the risk is low. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday to provide $622.1 million to control the spread of the Zika virus.
On Tuesday, the Senate cleared the way for expected approval by the chamber on Thursday of $1.1 billion to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects. The White House has threatened to veto the House bill, saying it was "woefully inadequate." The Obama administration has requested $1.9 billion, reported the USA Today.
The World Health Organization's European office said the overall risk was less to moderate. It is highest in areas where Aedes mosquitoes breed particularly on the island of Madeira and the north-eastern coast of the Black Sea.
"There is a risk of spread of Zika virus disease in the European Region and ... this risk varies from country to country, said Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO's regional director for Europe.
"We call particularly on countries at higher risk to strengthen their national capacities and prioritize the activities that will prevent a large Zika outbreak."
The European region under WHO covers 53 countries with a population of nearly 900 million stretching from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Mediterranean Sea in the south and from the Atlantic in the west to the Pacific in the east.
The WHO reported that there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. It prominently causes a birth defect known as microcephaly in babies of women who become infected with Zika while pregnant.
Travelers must be aware of the precautionary measures.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
