Highlights
On 13 February, the Government organized the National Day for Mobilization on fighting the Aedis aegypti, reaching 2.8 million properties in 428 municipalities all over the country. Over 300,000 military and health personnel participated.
In total, 23.8 million properties were already visited where 844,800 (3,6%) properties with breeding grounds were identified.
On 16 February, CDC and Brazilian government have started a joint casestudy research in Paraiba to investigate the casual relation between microcephaly cases and ZIKV.
Situation Overview
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases of microcephaly, related to the ZIKV among newborns in Brazil starting in October 2015 mainly in the northeast region. The Federal Government of Brazil has identified this issue as a priority, and President Dilma Rousseff launched a national plan of action to combat this virus in December 2015. Various ministries governmental organizations including the police, army, firefighters and others, have been mobilized under the leadership of the Ministry of Health to support various activities related to prevention, communication, monitoring, capacity building, among others. The national plan is currently in its third phase, advancing for the fourth phase on February 19 until 04 March. UNICEF Brazil, in an effort to provide support and in response to a request for assistance, has developed a proposal to support governmental efforts to address the epidemic. The action plan is based mainly in vector control using the existing network with the Brazilian municipalities.
Brazilian government response
Brazilian government response is moving forward. Accordingly to the MoH, on 13 February - the National Day for Mobilization on fighting the Aedis aegypti - 2.8 million properties were reached in 478 municipalities all over the country. National mobilization efforts are undergoing until 18 February. Over 300,000 military and public health staff are participating, sensitizing the population and eliminating breeding grounds. Over 23.8 million properties were already visited where 844,800 (3,6%) were identified with breeding grounds. These efforts are part of the third phase of the national plan. From 19 February to 04 March, Government has planned the fourth phase of the plan when military staff will visit education facilities instructing students with prevention messages. On 16 February, CDC and Brazilian government have started a joint case-study research in Paraiba to investigate the casual relation between microcephaly cases and Zika virus (ZIKV). The research plans to study and evaluate more than a thousand babies (with and without microcephaly) and mothers, with results expected to be published by April 2016.