Il virus Zika, già diffusosi in 21 paesi delle Americhe da quando il primo caso era stato segnalato in maggio in Brasile, può essere trasmesso da persona a persona attraverso il sangue, anche se "non è un meccanismo frequente", e forse anche attraverso i rapporti sessuali. L'allarme è stato lanciato mercoledì dall'Organizzazione mondiale della sanità, raccomandando "precauzioni standard per assicurare donazioni e trasfusioni sicure".
Il virus, portato dalla zanzara Aedes, è legato alla comparsa di gravi patologie fetali anche se per il momento pure "l'evidenza di trasmissione dalla madre al bambino durante la gravidanza o la nascita è limitata". Ancor più lo è quella di un contagio durante il coito, sebbene lo zika sia stato isolato nello sperma. È stato descritto infatti finora un singolo caso.
Rio prepara contrimisure prima dei Giochi
L'epidemia è destinata ad espandersi in tutto il continente, spiega ancora l'OMS. Il Brasile ha annunciato misure straordinarie in vista delle Olimpiadi di Rio de Janeiro, per evitare la propagazione fra turisti ed atleti: il mese di agosto, invernale, è favorevole, ma le strutture saranno comunque ispezionate con quattro mesi di anticipo per eliminare le larve dell'insetto.
pon/ANSA
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