Zika virus fear snowballing among South Korean mothers

By Park Sae-jin Posted : February 2, 2016, 11:27 Updated : February 2, 2016, 11:27

[Courtesy of WHO]



With World Health Organization (WHO) alerting the world to raise an alarm on Zika virus last week, fear of the virus is snowballing among South Korean pregnant women and mothers. The tourism industry is hit hard with the social fear, flight cancellation to overseas dropping.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan stated last week that Zika virus, which causes birth defect microcephaly, spread over 23 countries around the world. WHO warned that China and other countries with dengue fever should be concerned about the infection.

Although no case in South Korea is reported, travelers, especially pregnant women who plan to visit the virus-affected countries like the Americas are worried. The fear is snowballing in online communities for mothers and expectant mothers. Communities are filled with questions asking whether they should take the trip already planned, or cancel the trip in order to avoid any possible infection.

Some to-be-married couples are cancelling their flight tickets to overseas, switching course of their honeymoon to domestic areas, such as Jeju Island.

Korean Air, the nation’s largest airline company, was soon to act accordingly on the consumers’ needs. The carrier announced that it will exempt pregnant passengers with documents proving pregnancy from cancellation fees for flights to San Paulo, Brazil.

Travel agencies also have been hit by the virus situation, but not as bad. “South Koreans, especially newly-weds, rarely travel to Central and South America” Explained an official from HANA Tour agency, “The situation is not as bad as MERS last year.”

The Korea centers for Disease Control recommended that pregnant women keep a close eye on situations regarding trips to Zika virus-affected countries.

Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. Common symptoms of the virus are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes), which lasts from several days to a week.

In May 2015, Pan American Health organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which attacks nerve system and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects.

WHO suspects that the Zika virus is causing infected pregnant women to give birth to babies with microcephaly- babies born with unusually small heads and brain damage in infants. In October 2015, doctors noticed a surge in babies with the condition in northern Brazil.

Many health organizations worldwide are focusing their attention on Zika virus since it has no known vaccine. Pharmaceutical experts estimate at least 10 to 15 years will be required to develop vaccines.

As bad it is, there is no known cure for the virus. The governments in Ecuador, El Salvador, Colombia and Jamaica are recommending that women delay their pregnancies to avoid any possible birth defects.

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