Brazil sends in 200,000 soldiers to stop the spread of the Zika virus outbreak which has seen huge numbers of babies born with small heads and cast a shadow over the Olympics
More than 200,000 soldiers are being sent ‘house to house’ in Brazil in the battle against Zika-carrying mosquitoes
They are to distribute leaflets and dispense advice, signalling a major ramping up of efforts against the Zika virus
Although not deadly, the virus has been linked to cases of severe brain damage and birth defects in newborn babies
Pregnant women are being told to avoid travelling to the affected 22 countries, including in Latin America and Africa
Cases have also been reported in Europe, with four in Italy, three in Britain and two in region of Catalonia in Spain
By IMOGEN CALDERWOOD
DailyMail.com
26 January 2016
Brazil has sent more than 200,000 troops to go ‘house to house’ in the battle against Zika-carrying mosquitoes, blamed for causing a birth defect epidemic that is spreading rapidly across the world.
Soldiers will visit homes across Brazil, distributing leaflets and dispensing advice, according to Health Minister Marcelo Castro, signalling a major ramping up of efforts against the Zika virus.
The government, under growing pressure to deal with the crisis, will also hand out repellent to at least 400,000 pregnant women on social welfare.
The virus has been linked to serious birth defects, including microcephaly, in which babies born to women infected during pregnancy have abnormally small heads.
It comes as the World Health Organisation said that the virus, which is suspected causing horrific brain damage to babies, will spread throughout all countries in America except Chile and Canada.
‘Our investigation is on course to develop a better testing with respect to the prenatal transmission of the disease, and to better understand how the virus affects babies,’ said a spokesman for the organisation.
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