Zika response tips
Coordinating responders Health Information
• Coordination of public health, maternal and child
health, vector control and clinical services
• Social services to support affected children and
families
Communicating risk
• Encourage health authorities to:
- Engage communities for eliminating mosquito
breeding sites
- Communicate with at-risk groups through their
trusted sources of information
• Key messages:
- Zika is transmitted through mosquito bites during
the day
- The babies of pregnant women are at risk for
adverse pregnancy outcomes
- Zika can be sexually transmitted
- Women of reproductive age should seek advice
before getting pregnant during outbreaks and
should seek medical advice if they fall pregnant
MANAGING EPIDEMICS | KEY FACTS ABOUT MAJOR DEADLY DISEASES
• Early detection, reporting, and monitoring
of cases
• Laboratory capacity for diagnosis especially
in pregnant women
• Laboratory diagnosis may be difficult
(serological tests cross-react with Dengue
and other flaviviruses)
Health Interventions
• Community engagement and health
promotion
• Early response
• Prevention of infection by Aedes
mosquitoes, particularly pregnant women
• Reduce breeding sites of Aedes
mosquitoes around dwellings
• Clinical supportive care of patients with
Guillain-Barré and severe symptoms
• Support to babies born with microcephaly
• Psychosocial counselling and support
ZIKA 101