GLOBALIZATION TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL CHANGE
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/sites/default/files/2016/01/main/articles/012116_mr_zika-main.jpg (Accessed 20171010)
Felicia Newland
what is the zika virus?
- The Zika virus is a mosquito borne virus that was first recorded in Uganda in 1947 from a rhesus monkey. The virus has caused sporadic infections across several continents such as Asia, Africa, South America as well as North America. Symptoms of the disease include fever, rash and arthralgia. (joint pain) It is also known to cause babies to be born with abnormally small heads as well as brain damage in many caseswhich is known to cause brain damage in babies as well as
- In 2007, a Zika epidemic began in on Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia, then spread to several countries in Oceania before traveling to the Americas in 2014-2015. Brazil is affected the heaviest in the Americas, having an estimated 440,000-1,300,000 reported cases as of 2016.
- The Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito but, but also through sexual activity. Expectant mothers are urged not to travel to Zika affected areas.
In 2015, Brazil’s Ministry of Health reported an increase in babies born with microcephaly in Northeastern Brazil as a result of the virus. 1
- The movement of people has contributed to the global spread of the Zika virus. The emergence of the Zika virus created a global epidemiological situation, beginning in 2007 with 49 cases reported on the island of Yap. In 2013, an outbreak emerged in French Polynesia with 28,000 cases reported, which is 11% of the population. The Virus then spread to the South Pacific Cook Islands as well as Easter Island.It is hypothesized that the spread of the Zika virus into the Western Hemisphere can be attributed to the flow of people into Brazil for the World Cup in 2014 or 2015 from the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia or Easter Island, who’s canoeing teams participated in the Va’a World Sprint Championship in Rio. This event could possibly be a catalyst that introduced the virus to Brazil. 2
- There are differences in the epidemiology of different strains of Zika. It is hypothesized that “old Zika” from 2013 and earlier and “new Zika” from 2015 have differences in virulence. Genetic studies on the strains of Zika virus concluded that a strain emerging from Cape Verde in 2015 had Asian lineage, but could also have been imported from Brazil. Strains of Asian-originated Zika Virus have reoccured at various different times in various locations. 3
areas at risk of zika
Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
Asia: Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Vietnam
The Caribbean: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; The Bahamas; Barbados; Bonaire; British Virgin Islands; Cuba; Curaçao; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Haiti; Jamaica; Montserrat; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a US territory; Saba; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Eustatius; Sint Maarten; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and Caicos Islands; US Virgin Islands
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
North America: Mexico
The Pacific Islands: Fiji, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga
South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela 4
Asia: Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Vietnam
The Caribbean: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; The Bahamas; Barbados; Bonaire; British Virgin Islands; Cuba; Curaçao; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Haiti; Jamaica; Montserrat; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a US territory; Saba; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sint Eustatius; Sint Maarten; Trinidad and Tobago; Turks and Caicos Islands; US Virgin Islands
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
North America: Mexico
The Pacific Islands: Fiji, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga
South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela 4
Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information. (Accessed 20171217)
The Zika virus began to evolve into a global epidemiological situation in 2007 when it was recorded outside of Africa and Southeast Asia. By the year 2013, the virus continued to spread into French Polynesia, with over 11% of French Polynesia’s population affected by the virus. The virus made its way to the Western Hemisphere around 2014 or 2015, affecting over a million people in Brazil alone.
There has been speculation that the spread of the Zika virus can be attributed to the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. According to the Wall Street Journal, The World Cup Soccer Tournament brought in one million tourists from around the world. Could the influx of foreign travelers into South America be responsible for bringing the virus into the Western Hemisphere in 2014? It is possible. However, this notion has been challenged because of inconsistencies involving the strain of Zika that appeared in Brazil at this time. The closest strain of Zika to the one that appeared in Brazil in 2014 is the strain originating from French Polynesia. Therefore, the speculation that World Cup travelers can be connected to the emergence of the virus in Brazil may be incorrect. It should also be noted that no Zika-affected Pacific countries participated in the World Cup in 2014. However, the Va’a World Sprint Championship in Brazil can possibly be catalyst that introduced the virus to Brazil. The Va’a World Sprint Championship canoeing race took place in Lagos Rodrigo De Fritas, Rio De Janeiro. The International Va'a Federation hosts the World Sprint Championship and the World Distance Championship every two years. The 2014 event hosted athletes from Zika- affected areas such as French Polynesia, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands as well as Easter Island. It is likely that this particular sporting event contributed to the introduction and then spread of the Zika virus in Brazil. Densely populated areas with warm climates, such as Brazil allow for the virus to spread rapidly. The movement of people allowed for different strains of the virus to present in different parts of the world. This can be particularly problematic for countries who may not have the resources to treat the incoming disease effectively.
The Zika virus connects with many concepts associated with globalization. Aside from the flow of people, the most apparent concept associated with the Zika virus is the spread of disease and the pathways of disease response in the countries around the world that have been affected by the Zika virus. The virus brought many challenges in prevention of Zika as well as the prevention of microencephaly. At a more abstract level, the Zika virus can also be liked to the concept of time and space compression. The large sporting events in question (The World Cup and the Va'a World Sprint Championship) are phenomena that brought individuals from all over the globe into one area. At the time of these events, the whole world was able to participate in these sporting events as they were happening. Globalization played a significant role in the spread of the virus.
To this day, the Zika virus has managed to spread across continents, affecting millions of people. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has travel recommendations for those looking to travel to Zika affected Areas. Zika affected areas include Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. The pacific Islands, The Caribbean, Mexico, South America. Certain areas of the United States are also at risk of Zika infection. Currently, there is no cure for the virus, only treatment of the symptoms. An outbreak of Zika anywhere in the world has the potential to be a threat everywhere.
Sources:
1 Lancet, T. (2016). Zika virus: A new global threat for 2016. The Lancet, 387(10014), 96. doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00014-3Musso
2 Imperato, P. J. (2016). The convergence of a virus, mosquitoes, and human travel in globalizing the zika epidemic. Journal of Community Health, 41(3), 674-679.doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1007/s10900-016-0177-7
3 D., & Lanteri, 3M. C. (2017). Emergence of zika virus: Where does it come from and where is it going to? The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 17(3), 255. doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30070-1
4 CDC. “Travelers' Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Nov. 2017, wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information.
1 Lancet, T. (2016). Zika virus: A new global threat for 2016. The Lancet, 387(10014), 96. doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00014-3Musso
2 Imperato, P. J. (2016). The convergence of a virus, mosquitoes, and human travel in globalizing the zika epidemic. Journal of Community Health, 41(3), 674-679.doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1007/s10900-016-0177-7
3 D., & Lanteri, 3M. C. (2017). Emergence of zika virus: Where does it come from and where is it going to? The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 17(3), 255. doi:http://dx.doi.org.lehman.ezproxy.cuny.edu/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30070-1
4 CDC. “Travelers' Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Nov. 2017, wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information.