Portugues
Brazil
The World Health Organization has declared the spread of the Zika virus to be a global emergency. America has yet to see a major outbreak and isn’t considered to be at high risk, but some states have started to battle the disease. Meanwhile, authorities in South America fear the worst isn’t over yet.
Brazil is the epicenter of the Zika outbreak, which has reportedly infected at least 1.5 million people there. Brazil also was the first to report a surge in newborns with microcephaly that parallels the outbreak. At least 4,100 infants reportedly have been born with that condition, compared with fewer than 150 in 2014.
Colombia
Researchers in Colombia have recently identified their first cases of birth defects believed to be linked to Zika – a finding that could signal a wave of related birth defects in that country.
Puerto Rico
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico could become infected with the Zika virus in the coming months. CDC Director Tom Frieden traveled to the U.S. territory in March to monitor the situation, citing more than 100 cases already on the island.
“Puerto Rico is on the frontline of the battle against Zika,” said Frieden. “And it’s an uphill battle.”
Hawaii
Hawaii is already fighting a troubling outbreak of dengue fever, a disease carried by the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika. And the battle may worsen: Hawaii has strong anti-pesticide sentiment and tropical conditions, and is suffering from under-staffing in its Department of Health.
At last count, the state has logged five Zika cases, all travel-related.
Texas
The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and a state public health lab in Austin are on the front lines of testing and studying the Zika virus.
According to the latest count, Texas has at least 19 confirmed Zika patients.
Florida
Of all the U.S. states with confirmed cases of Zika virus, Florida has seen the most. At last count, the Sunshine State has faced at least 50 cases, though none have spread locally.
Mexico
Mexico has been listed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control as a country seeing “increasing or widespread transmission” of the Zika virus. At least 11 pregnant women have been diagnosed with Zika in that country, among more than 120 total cases.
American Samoa and U.S. Virgin Islands
The CDC has recorded at least one confirmed Zika patient in the U.S. Virgin Islands. That case was contracted locally. American Samoa, a U.S. territory in the Pacific, has seen at least 13 cases.
Both territories are under a CDC travel advisory urging Americans to use caution if visiting those spots and encouraging pregnant women to stay away.
Venezuela
At least 5,000 official cases of Zika have been reported in this country alone, though doctors and local health organizations suspect that the number is much higher.
Central America
Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica all have been listedby the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control as suffering from “increasing or widespread transmission” of Zika.
Haiti and Dominican Republic
The two countries share an island that saw the first signs of outbreak in January. At least 10 cases of Zika have been diagnosed in the Dominican Republic.
The Caribbean
Doctors have reported that at least two people suffering from a rare paralyzing condition on the Caribbean island of Martinique had evidence of Zika infection. Barbados, Martinique, Grenadines, St. Vincent and St. Martin are all under a CDC travel advisory.
