Epidemics

Brazil: soldiers in the Anti-Zika-use

Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians are already with Zika infected. With all the Power the government wants to the risk for the Olympic games reduce: The military moves in the fight against the mosquitoes that transmit the pathogens transmitted.

President Dilma Rousseff compares the fight against the Zika-Vectors with a “war”. And so are 220.000 soldiers pulled out to the Aedes aegypti’s life difficult to make. Brazil’s military is all over the country on the road to Bringing to combat, their sting Zika Virus can bring. The Motto of the government: “Zero Zeka”, the number of Transfers should be Zero.

Soldiers in the Aufklärungseinsatz: battle on the information Front

First of all, it is but a battle on the information Front. Together with thousands of employees, the health authorities should the soldiers with leaflets to inform and up to three million homes to visit. You should explain that even small puddles and water residue represent a risk. These are the breeding grounds of Aedes aegypti, so the Gelbfiebermücken, here lay their eggs and thus multiply.

Particularly at risk are Brasilens Favelas. In the slums, there is hardly modern channel and wastewater systems, and accordingly, many Brutstellen. But just in the Favelas, are the soldiers not to Info-Tour. To be feared violent clashes with drug traffickers.

Phase two: elimination of the Eiablageplätze

Brazil’s government but also has a second Phase planned. In the next days and weeks, the military in direct battle with the mosquitoes. After breeding sites were identified, 50,000 soldiers dispatched to severely affected areas carefully with insecticides against the mosquitoes and their Eiablageplätze permanently eliminate.

Anti-Zika-leaflet: warning from small puddles and water residues

Until the goal of the battle, so “Zero Zika” is reached, it should, however, still a very long way to go. Because the Gelbfiebermücke has now dramatically increased. In most of Brazil, the mosquitoes will be on the road. While Zika is not the only threat is that of the blood-sucking insects pose: the Dengue and the Chikungunya Virus by a mosquito bite are transmitted. “The fight against the mosquitoes is currently the only means to these three Virus species to combat the stresses of Brazil, Secretary of protection and civil defence, Adriano Pereira Júnior.

Increase of sick babies

Since been clear, rapid tests are missing, do the estimates of Zika infection in Brazil, the most affected country, very far apart – from 500 000 to 1.5 million talk to the authorities. The Zika Virus is suspected, in infected Pregnant women to Schädelfehlbildungen their babies. The number of confirmed cases of the so-called Mikrozephalie in infants, which is often mentally handicapped to come into the world, has more than doubled. There are now 41 such cases, said the Ministry of health. In the previous week were 17 cases known. In total, there are in Brazil according to the authorities are currently 462 confirmed cases of the so-called Mikrozephalie and 3852, respectively.

Baby with Mikrozephalie in Rio de Janeiro: Hampered by infection of the mother

The rising Numbers depend upon information provided by Physicians but also, that since October a reporting requirement. The most affected is the poor northeast of the country with the city of Recife.

Fear of Zika at the Olympic games

The Anti-Zika-action should be solely in the state of Rio de Janeiro 71.000 soldiers to use. This is also regarded as a Signal to the outside: Because, in August, in Rio Olympics. The government of Dilma Roussef is therefore under great pressure, finally could athletes and Olympiafans out of fear of Zika your travels to Sugarloaf mountain, to cancel, although the Moskitoart in August barely is active and the Virus usually only cause symptoms such as fever, redness or headache.

However, meanwhile, also reported deaths irrespective of the baby, the consequences of the Mikrozephalie not have survived. In Brazil, three people have died. Also Colombia reports three fatalities. You should Lähmungssyndrom Guillain-Barré died, possibly also from the Zika was triggered. Also three Zika-Dead logs Venezuela. But often, it is unclear whether or not other illnesses the cause might be.

The previously hardly occurred originally in the Zika forest of Uganda discovered Virus, is poorly understood. Therefore, the world the funds increased in order to provide clarity about the consequences to get. According to new data from the world health organization (WHO) is Zika now in 39 countries, has emerged. Because of the spread of the pathogen had the WHO in early February the global Gesundheitsnotstand proclaimed.

AR/as (dpa/rtr)