Four cases of the 'head-shrinking' Zika virus have been confirmed in Britain, according to Public Health England. The pandemic, which affects pregnant women, was identified in the infected people in the last six weeks. A
committee of MPs in Westminster were told that the four cases were
'travel associated' and not believed to have been contracted in the UK.
Speaking
to the Science and Technology Committee, Dr Dilys Morgan, head of the
gastrointestinal, emerging and zoonotic infections department at Public
Health England, said that there had been seven travel-associated cases
documented in the UK.
Six
of the cases are linked to the current outbreak in South America,
including four since the start of the year. She also said that officials
'expected to see more cases' of travel-associated infections.
MPs
were told that there had been a 'Pre-Scientific Advisory Group for
Emergencies' meeting where experts concluded that the risk to the UK
population was very low.
Health officials are tracking a number of women who have travelled to countries affected by the Zika-virus.
Public
Health England said it was monitoring various surveillance systems and
tracking women who call in with concerns about the virus.
The hearing on the virus comes as the UK medicines watchdog has pledged its support to counter the outbreak.
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