The Zika virus outbreak has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Thousands of new cases have been discovered and the virus is spreading rapidly through Brazil and much of Latin America but it’s considered a public health threat to the rest of the world. Even though the symptoms of the virus are mild, if you are pregnant, the virus could damage your unborn child’s brain. The Zika virus is similar to other viruses, so a vaccine could be ready in 3 to 4 years. Listen to hear more about this public health emergency.
Story Length: 3:04
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May 26, 2015
4:03
Ebola, Swine Flu, Lou Gehrig’s - all of these illnesses were named after places, animals or people. In fact, most disease are named in an ad-hoc or random way, and that can have unexpected consequences for individuals and communities associated with the diseases. The World Health Organization is hoping to change this by establishing new guidelines for disease naming that are based on medical factors. Listen to learn more about the current way diseases are named and this suggested alternative.
Read MoreNovember 25, 2014
7:47
In 2002, bats brought SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) to humans in China and killed 800 people. Now camels have brought MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) to people in the Middle East, sickening nearly 900 people already and killing one-third of those infected. Researchers in North Carolina have been studying MERS so they can better understand the virus. But this research has been shut down because the US government believes it's too dangerous. Listen to learn why this research is considered so dangerous, and yet so important.
Read MoreAugust 26, 2014
2:51
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been made more difficult by the lack of trained medical volunteers willing to help care for patients. In today’s public radio story we hear from a US medical specialist in infectious disease who bucked this trend and went to Sierra Leone to care for Ebola patients despite the risks. Listen to learn more about what compelled her to go and what she is doing to protect herself.
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