It all began in Latin America when an outbreak of the Zika virus occurred with the help of some mosquitos. It is extremely dangerous for pregnant women whose fetuses are susceptible to a condition called microcephaly.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

microcephaly is a birth defect in which a baby’s head and brain are smaller and less-developed than others of the same age.

And there are no vaccines yet to prevent, and no medicines to treat the virus. However, only about 20% of people even show symptoms, which most commonly include fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.

As it stands, 24 countries in the world have reported active transmission of the Zika virus which has caused airlines travelling to or from those countries to issue statements, offering passengers the chance to change their plane tickets for free.

Here’s this from the Guardian:

The World Health Organisation has convened an emergency committee to discuss the “explosive” spread of the Zika virus, which has been linked to thousands of birth defects in Latin America.

“Last year the disease was detected in the Americas, where it is spreading explosively,” Margaret Chan, the WHO director general, said at a special briefing in Geneva. It was “deeply concerning” that the virus has now been detected in more than 20 countries in the Americas, she added.

The spread of the virus has prompted governments across the world to advise pregnant women against going to the areas where it has been detected. There is no vaccine or cure for Zika, which has been linked to microcephaly, a serious condition that can cause lifelong developmental problems.

Chan said: “The level of alarm is extremely high. Arrival of the virus in some cases has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads.”

This is not to be confused with the Zuma virus, which renders the carrier unable to count numbers and massively impairs judgement.

[source: businessinsider,guardian]