High incidence of birth defects in Brazil has been found to be potentially caused by a mosquito-borne virus from Africa, called Zika Fever. A team from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is heading to the country as the Brazilian health ministry has confirmed the rapid spread of the disease and has issued warnings to women to consider cases of Zika Fever in planning for pregnancy at the moment.

An increase in the number of cases of microencephalitis, the inflammation of the brain, which in infections usually involves the central nervous system, has been associated to the Zika Fever. The condition can inhibit the growth of the head of the foetus.

Two adult deaths and 739 cases of the disease have been reported in Brazil. Zika virus has been found in the blood and tissue of a baby with microencephalitis in the state of Ceara, according to the ministry.

Warnings to carefully consider getting pregnant at the moment in areas where cases of Zika fever were reported have been issued by the ministry, the BBC reported. Most cases were reported in the north-east of Brazil, and there have been rapid increase in the number of cases in the south-east, in Rio and Sao Paulo.

Doctors have found that Zika virus is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which also carry dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses.

A team from the WHO will arrive in Brazil in the coming week. The ministry said that the two reported adult deaths were the first non-infant deaths from the Zika Fever worldwide.

The first patient who died from the virus was a man in the city of Belem in Para, who was being treated for Lupus. The second confirmed case of death, also in Para, was of a 16-year-old girl, who was first admitted with suspected dengue fever.

Zika virus was first recognised in Brazil in April, and has quickly spread to its 18 states, according to the WHO. The disease first appears harmless, causing rash andwith fever for a few days.

Zika has become a serious risk to public health, the ministry said. Officials suggest that Brazil must work on an emergency programme to stop Aedes aegypti mosquito from transmitting the virus. Immediate action could significantly prevent new cases of the disease.

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