The Aedes aegypti transmitted disease triggering birth defects has been recently spreading to the Southern African country
Angola faces Zika outbreak risk, as the country was already hit by a serious cholera and a yellow fever epidemic. According to local health officials, two Zika cases have been recently found inside the country, one in Luanda and one from a French citizen transiting.
“Up until two months ago, we didn’t have any detected case, but, now, we have two cases of Zika. We have to take preventable measures, especially in the anti-vectorial fight against the mosquitoes,” commented José Luis Gomes Sambo, the Angolan Health Minister.
As a result, WHO and the Angolan government are closely monitoring the two cases, due to the increased spreading risk, especially in Luanda, where the virus can easily outbreak.
When compared to the past, this particular Zika strain seems to be more virulent. In a country struggling with poor economic growth and where 106 people have already passed away due to cholera, and 400 died of yellow fever, this is not good news.
So far, Angola not included, 69 countries and territories were affected by the Zika virus since two years ago, accounting for 2.300 microcephaly cases recorded by the WHO.
