Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
HAIRS risk assessment: Zika virus
From
ublic Health England
First published: 18 February 2016
...
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hairs-risk-assessment-zika-virus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group
...
Qualitative assessment of the risk that Zika virus presents to the UK population
Information on the risk assessment processes used by the HAIRS group
can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hairs-riskassessment-process
Date of this assessment 16 February 2016
...
SUMMARY OF RISK ASSESSMENT FOR ZIKA VIRUS IN THE UK POPULATION
Note: This risk assessment was completed to assess the current risk that Zika virus presents to the UK population
Overview Zika virus (ZIKV) was first isolated from a sentinel Rhesus monkey in Uganda in 1947 and has circulated
in many countries since then, although its detailed epidemiology is not certain. Outbreaks outside of Africa
and Asia have been reported in parts of the Pacific region in 2007 and 2013. Cases occured on Easter
Island in February 2014, and in May 2015, the first locally acquired cases of ZIKV were confirmed in
Brazil. Since then, more than 20 countries and territories in North, South and Central America and the
Caribbean are reporting locally-acquired cases. This is an emerging situation and the latest information
can be found on the ECDC Zika webpages (ECDC 2016a,b).
ZIKV generally causes a mild infection. However, an unusual increase in the number of babies born with
microcephaly in Brazil (4,783 suspect cases between 22 October 2015 and 30 January 2016 compared to
the annually expected 150-200 cases) has been proposed by the Brazilian ministry of health to be
associated with the ZIKV outbreak. In addition, in a retrospective analysis, health authorities in French
Polynesia reported an increase in central nervous system malformations in foetuses and new-borns
following a ZIKV outbreak in 2013-2014. A number of countries, including Brazil, French Polynesia and El
Salvador have reported cases of Guillain-Barr? Syndrome in individuals with a history of symptoms
consistent with ZIKV infection. Further investigations are ongoing to assess the evidence of an
association between ZIVK infection and these proposed sequelae.
No locally acquired cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in the UK. The risk to the UK population is
currently related to travel to affected areas. On average, almost 1.4 million UK residents travelled to South
and Central America and the Caribbean each year between 2010 and 2014, of whom 25% were women
of child bearing age. To date, seven confirmed cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in UK
travellers ? six associated with the current outbreak.
Assessment of the risk
Probability Current situation: Very Low
Impact Current situation: Very Low
...
Full text:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...a_virus_Risk_assessment_v1_Gateway_161216.pdf
From
ublic Health EnglandFirst published: 18 February 2016
...
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hairs-risk-assessment-zika-virus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group
...
Qualitative assessment of the risk that Zika virus presents to the UK population
Information on the risk assessment processes used by the HAIRS group
can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hairs-riskassessment-process
Date of this assessment 16 February 2016
...
SUMMARY OF RISK ASSESSMENT FOR ZIKA VIRUS IN THE UK POPULATION
Note: This risk assessment was completed to assess the current risk that Zika virus presents to the UK population
Overview Zika virus (ZIKV) was first isolated from a sentinel Rhesus monkey in Uganda in 1947 and has circulated
in many countries since then, although its detailed epidemiology is not certain. Outbreaks outside of Africa
and Asia have been reported in parts of the Pacific region in 2007 and 2013. Cases occured on Easter
Island in February 2014, and in May 2015, the first locally acquired cases of ZIKV were confirmed in
Brazil. Since then, more than 20 countries and territories in North, South and Central America and the
Caribbean are reporting locally-acquired cases. This is an emerging situation and the latest information
can be found on the ECDC Zika webpages (ECDC 2016a,b).
ZIKV generally causes a mild infection. However, an unusual increase in the number of babies born with
microcephaly in Brazil (4,783 suspect cases between 22 October 2015 and 30 January 2016 compared to
the annually expected 150-200 cases) has been proposed by the Brazilian ministry of health to be
associated with the ZIKV outbreak. In addition, in a retrospective analysis, health authorities in French
Polynesia reported an increase in central nervous system malformations in foetuses and new-borns
following a ZIKV outbreak in 2013-2014. A number of countries, including Brazil, French Polynesia and El
Salvador have reported cases of Guillain-Barr? Syndrome in individuals with a history of symptoms
consistent with ZIKV infection. Further investigations are ongoing to assess the evidence of an
association between ZIVK infection and these proposed sequelae.
No locally acquired cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in the UK. The risk to the UK population is
currently related to travel to affected areas. On average, almost 1.4 million UK residents travelled to South
and Central America and the Caribbean each year between 2010 and 2014, of whom 25% were women
of child bearing age. To date, seven confirmed cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in UK
travellers ? six associated with the current outbreak.
Assessment of the risk
Probability Current situation: Very Low
Impact Current situation: Very Low
...
Full text:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...a_virus_Risk_assessment_v1_Gateway_161216.pdf
