Germany is starting to take precautions to curb the spread of the Zika virus. Health authorities have logged five cases among Germans who visited the Americas since October.

A spokeswoman for the German Health Ministry confirmed that there had been five cases of the Zika virus in Germany since October 2015. However, the Robert-Koch Institute (RKI), the German government’s scientific institution in biomedicine, said that it was unlikely that any transmission of the virus had taken place in Germany or would likely take place under current conditions.

The health ministry said that the number of five instances was not likely to represent all cases in the country, as most infections brought to Germany from abroad were not recorded and rarely diagnosed in the first place. The ministry added that, with heightened awareness about the Zika virus, numbers of recorded diagnoses would likely rise in coming months.

The health ministry also said that it would support the introduction of a bill that would result in the obligation to report all cases of diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes. The move is intended to result in better monitoring of the progression of the Zika virus in Germany. The obligation to report would include other so-called Arbo viruses – viruses spread by mosquitoes and ticks, including the yellow fever virus. The bill will be discussed in the Bundesrat, Germany’s upper house of parliament, in March.

The Society for Virology at the University of Bonn, however, said it was unlikely that Germany could seriously be affected by the spread of the Zika virus. The head of the Society of Virology Christian Drosten said that there was no indication at present that mosquitoes in Germany would in future spread the Zika virus.

Explosive rise in cases in Latin America
After spreading through South America, the virus has been recorded in at least seven European countries, including Germany. The virus, known for its flu-like symptoms as well as skin rashes, is not deadly to humans. There are fears, however, that when transmitted sexually it can lead to babies being born with microcephaly, a deformity of the head. Pregnant women have been advised to stay away from affected areas because of this potential threat. Microcephaly cases in Brazil have spiked, seemingly in tandem with the Zika outbreak.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it expected up to 4 million cases of Zika infections if the spread of the virus in Latin America could not be stopped, with more than 1.5 million people probably carrying Zika in Brazil alone already. Ahead of major events, including the Rio Carnival next week and the 2016 Olympic Games due to take place in Rio de Janeiro this summer, authorities in South America are on high alert monitoring the situation.

WHO is currently looking into calling for a global state of emergency on account of explosive increase in cases. The last time such a state of emergency had been declared was at the height of the Ebola epidemic in 2015, resulting in special precautions being prescribed for flights to affected areas, including the close monitoring of passengers displaying signs of potential infection.

What you should know about Zika virus

Amid the ongoing spread of Dengue fever within and even outside the tropics, another mosquito-borne illness has disease specialists alarmed. DW takes a look at the basic facts surrounding the Zika virus.

Officials in 14 countries are scrambling to contain an outbreak of the vector-borne pathogen known as Zika virus, following international warnings that the disease can lead to birth defects if women contract it while pregnant.

Where has the virus been detected?

The first documented case was in Uganda in 1947. Until 2015, the disease remained dormant in equatorial countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands.

There was an unprecedented spike in reported Zika cases in 2015, with the virus spreading to a host of South American countries that include Brazil, host of upcoming Carnival celebrations and the Summer Olympic Games later this year.

Brazil sees a large number of travelers each year. If they get infected, there’s the chance that they’ll spread the virus in their home countries.

New reports by the World Health Organization state that the virus is likely to spread through all nations in the Americas except Canada and Chile. Three cases were already reported in New York City.

What are the dangers for humans?

Only one in five people who contract Zika display symptoms of the disease, which include nausea, irritability, rash, red eyes and significant joint pain.

In rare cases, hospitalization is required. Less than 0.01 percent of all reported cases were fatal.

However, this doesn’t mean there are no health risks associated with the disease.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zika virus is behind an otherwise inexplicable increase in microcephaly, a birth defect that causes infants to be born with smaller skulls and can lead to permanent brain damage.

The CDC says there were 30 times more cases of Zika reported in Brazil last year than in any year since 2010. As a result, it has advised pregnant women against travelling to Brazil, as well as the following countries: Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname, and Venezuela.

What should you do if you contract Zika?

First of all, stay in bed. Health officials also recommend drinking lots of water, and if you have pain, they recommend taking acetiminophen or paracetamol rather than ibuprofen, which can cause bleeding if the patient is misdiagnosed and actually suffering from Dengue fever.

Zika virus, as well as dengue and yellow fever, are kept alive by mosquitoes

The CDC has asked those who contract the virus to redouble efforts to avoid mosquito bites. If an uninfected mosquito bites an infected human, that mosquito can then transmit the pathogen to other humans.

Does a vaccine exist?

No. At this point, no such pharmaceutical endeavor is known.

What can be done to prevent transmission?

The only way to prevent Zika virus is to avoid mosquito bites. Apart from possible transmission from mother to newborn, or fetus, the disease can only be contracted from the aedes species of mosquito.

South American cities included in the CDC’s travel alert have begun instructing residents to remove stagnant water and avoid damp, swampy areas. If possible, residents should apply mosquito repellent whenever outside.

-DW.COM