CRI听力:Growing Evidence of Zika Link to Microcephaly: WHO

WHO Assistant Director General Dr. Bruce Aylward, lead official on outbreaks and health emergencies, says the number of suspected Zika cases continues to rise in the Americas.

Brazil and French Polynesia have both reported a growing number of cases of microcephaly.

Aylward says although it is not yet known for certain that the Zika virus is the root cause, there is growing evidence that the virus is in some way tied to the disorders.

"That combination of the escalating increase in Zika cases, the gravity of the potential consequences of Zika infection, and the huge presence of the vector across the world is really what's driving the speed and aggressiveness with which we are moving forward."

According to the WHO, 36 countries have reported transmission of the mosquito-borne virus - 28 of them are in the Americas.

On the risk of cases spreading to other countries, Dr. Pedro Alonso, director of WHO's global malaria program, says the possibility of an outbreak depends on a range of factors in each country.

"How has the expansion of this epidemic taken place? By individuals being infected walking into places where there are potential transmitting mosquitoes, infecting the mosquitoes, and then getting the chain going forward. However, as Bruce said, that very much depends on local behavior, housing, air conditioning, all sorts of elements."

He says the mosquito is an important factor to the spread of the virus, but the significance of that role is still not entirely clear.

Since the outbreak, China has taken several steps to prevent the Zika virus from spreading here.

In the southern Guangdong Province, which is at the center of exchanges between China and South America, medical authorities have strengthened the monitoring of body temperature for inbound passengers at airports and major sea ports to prevent possible Zika virus epidemic.

World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan speaks highly of China's counter measures to make sure travelers returning from countries with Zika pose no risk to the home population.

"With so many people traveling around the world on a daily basis, I think countries are well advised to explain important cases. I was talking to the Minister Li Bing of China to discuss the measures that China has put in place, very robust, integrated measures, to make sure that any returning travelers would not pose a risk to the population. It is always wise to take precautions,"

She also noted that human-to-human transmission of the Zika virus has so far been rare.

As of Friday, China has confirmed three imported cases of Zika virus.

One of them has already left hospital.

Experts say the risk of spreading the virus in China right now is very low because of winter temperatures which limit the activity of mosquitoes in China at this time of year.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui.