Published September 2nd, 2016, by TRTWorld was the above interview with with Derek Gatherer, a lecturer at Lancaster University, who specializes in virology. Notably, at the 2:53 mark, he stated: "The number of places in the world that are potentially going to get the [Zika] virus back from Brazil depends on the air travel between Brazil and those parts of the world." Peppered throughout the interview, Gatherer also mentioned: "As it [Zika] travels back from Brazil via international air travel and so on" "direct air travel" "hubs of high air travel" "high levels of traffic from Latin America" He NEVER answered the last question: "Is there more that could be done to stop the spread of this now? Could the World Health Organization (WHO) be taking more action at this phase?" If you watch the video a second time, it becomes clear that the agenda is to push a vaccine which will be too little, too late. My point: Right now, travel restrictions (level 3 in the U.S. and level 4 in Canada) would allow this wave of the Zika infection to burn itself out rather than have 1/3 of the world's population (2.6 billion people) be put at risk. We could probably spare a billion people from becoming infected with the more dangerous strain of Zika. (And Dr. Gatherer also made mention of three strains). Shocking New Facts On September 2nd, 2016, the WHO held a press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlssJgagKN8 Sadly, no comments were allowed on their YouTube video. I took the following notes: Regarding the risk of Zika being spread further (globally) because of the Rio Olympics: At the 21:07 point, Dr. Peter Salama, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, stated: "I think, so far, the data to date (at least) has really validated that assessment, the risk is low ... We don't have any "confirmed" cases of Zika amongst travelers or amongst, indeed, athletes ... I think the low risk assessment has withstood the test of time." [Further along, I explain how difficult it is for cases to be "confirmed" and only the CDC has the power to do it]. NB: Dr. Salama took up this new position with the WHO on July 27th, 2016 (after the risk assessment was completed). When asked about the strains. A fidgety Dr. David Heymann, Chair of the Emergency Committee said at the 22:23 point: "When we asked Singapore government about the genetic sequences (which will tell you what virus this is) they have not been able to complete all the work. This is all very recently identified. They anticipate they will have this information later this week, weekend, or early next week." [They confirmed a difference in strains]. Regarding the risk to women who are pregnant . . is it 1 percent, 30 percent, chance of having a baby with Zika complications? "We don't have a definitive answer ... there is a risk, it is significant, particularly in the first trimester. Waiting for data around co-factors." At the 33:15 point: How would you know there were no cases [of Zika from the Olympics]? Dr. David Heymann: "Brazil gave us the numbers of people who presented to health facilities who were either Olympians or spectators at the Olympics and they gave us very convincing data." [I'm sure they did!] "And there were no people who had Zika ... no evidence of an acute Zika infection ... Nor have they been reported in people who have returned back to their home countries and WHO has a surveillance network that is looking for that." [What about "suspected" cases?] When asked about the Culex species of mosquitoes transmitting Zika: Dr. Peter Salama: "Zika virus has been isolated from other mosquito species. But the question remains as to whether other species besides the Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus can really transmit the virus. That remains the outstanding research question." [Researchers in China also found Culex could transmit it]. Termination of pregnancies could account for differences Columbia compared with Brazil? Dr. Salama mentioned it's "hard to get data about that ... it's been raised in meetings ... cannot answer it definitely". No one asked about genetically-modified mosquitoes nor travel restrictions. For the full transcript: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/ec-transcript-1-september-2016.pdf?ua=1 On September 7th, 2016, a study out of China titled "Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus: a potential vector to transmit Zika virus" stated the following: Note: This study was not publicized as far as I know (I found it by looking up recent Culex mosquito studies). 1) "Eight of the nine infant mice had positive brains after being bitten by infected mosquitoes, which meant that Cx. p. quinquefasciatus could be infected with and transmit ZIKV following oral infection." 2) "These laboratory results clearly demonstrate the potential role of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus as a vector of ZIKV in China." 3) "Because there are quite different vector management strategies required to control Aedes (Stegomyia) species and Cx. p. quinquefasciatus, an integrated approach may be required should a Zika epidemic occur." On September 9th, 2016, I discovered "the CDC says that the chance of Zika-carrying mosquitoes getting on board commercial flights is slight and it does not recommend any prophylactic spraying of cabins." Source: https://airwaysmag.com/industry/how-do-airlines-deal-with-zika Airlines spray their cabins with insecticides whenever they travel to areas where malaria is found, though. September 8th, 2016: A Reuters post confirmed that a DNA analysis of Zika in Singapore "revealed slight differences between the strains ... Raymond Lin, head of the National Public Health Lab, said the strain in Singapore and Brazil were slightly different, but it was not clear what this meant." Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-singapore-idUSKCN11E0O9 September 10th, 2016: A Firstpost article quoted Dr. Peter Hotez who stated: "Zika appears to have undergone a significant number of mutations, possibly in its NS1 gene, to make it more neurotropic (affecting the nervous system) and better adapted to grow in humans and mosquitoes. It has become a pandemic strain." Source: http://www.firstpost.com/india/as-zika-heads-to-india-an-older-strain-in-indians-prepare-for-a-second-coming-2998508.html The NS1 gene helps the Zika virus replicate and evade a response from the human immune system. The Truth About So-Called "Confirmed Cases" of Zika Because of the Olympics September 14th, 2016: A post in TheJournal.ie stated: "It's unclear as yet if the cases are a result of UK athletes travelling to Brazil for the Olympic Games ... The agency told the BBC that its policy is not to give the exact number of diagnosed cases if it is fewer than five, as it may identify those affected." Source: http://www.thejournal.ie/zika-northern-ireland-2979389-Sep2016 And The Irish Times post stated: "When asked if a person has been treated recently and if it was linked to travelling to the Olympic Games in Brazil, the spokeswoman said she could not provide a response as the organisation "does not talk about individual cases". Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/zika-virus-cases-confirmed-in-northern-ireland-1.2790861 Bottom line: If similar "policies" are in place in other regions of the world, I doubt we will get an accurate picture of the Zika cases that were acquired because the Olympic Games were held in Rio. What's worse, I discovered that "officials, supporters, and athletes returning from the Rio Olympics said that health officials did not screen them at the airports on their return as was done during the Ebola outbreak." Source: https://www.niyitabiti.net/2016/09/zika-nigeria-fails-to-monitor-olympic-returnees A Lancet study identified Nigeria among the eight countries that may record a Zika virus outbreak in the next few months. Other vulnerable countries listed are: India, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Source: http://thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(16)30270-5/fulltext And if THAT doesn't make you wonder, yesterday I discovered this post in The New York Times by Roni Caryn Rabin titled "Want a Zika Test? It's Not Easy" which stated: "The Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test (aka PRNT), determines conclusively if a person was exposed to Zika. Currently the test is performed only by the CDC and a limited number of local health department labs." "For men, the story is even more complicated. Men infected with Zika may carry it in their semen for up to six months, but there is no approved test for screening semen." Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/well/live/want-a-zika-test-its-not-easy.html?_r=1 So, when the WHO's Dr. Peter Salama stated: "And I think so far the data to date at least has really validated that assessment, that the risk is low, in fact we don't have any confirmed cases of Zika amongst travellers or amongst indeed the athletes" he wasn't lying. Why? Because ONLY the CDC and a "limited number of local health department labs" can confirm if a person was exposed to Zika. I don't feel comfortable knowing that the CDC is the only health authority given the power to "determine conclusively" if a person has Zika or not. Plus, I understand that in July 2016, the CDC was collecting semen from hundreds of men in the United States in order to figure out how long the dreaded Zika virus lasts in the bodily fluid. Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/14/health/zika-semen-cdc What's worse: the Zika virus is transmitted via semen, appears to "hide in the testes, where it can avoid the immune system" and there's also "mounting evidence that it can continue to replicate in the testes -- and even increase the viral load -- for months after infection." Source: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/25/health/zika-hides-vagina-bloodstream Doesn't it make sense that men should be able to have their semen tested for Zika anywhere in the world if their doctor orders it? (And, any laboratory that does routine semen screening – not just the CDC and their "approved local labs" – be able to carry out this test)? Proof the CDC Knows Travel Restrictions Would Mitigate Zika's Spread A June 10th, 2016 PLOS research article "FLIRT-ing with Zika: A Web Application to Predict the Movement of Infected Travelers Validated Against the Current Zika Virus Epidemic" starts out by stating: "Developing accurate tools to anticipate Zika spread is one of the first steps to mitigate further spread of the disease ... air traffic data and network simulations can predict where infectious disease may spread and aid in the prevention of infectious diseases." Sounds virtuous enough, right? This next sentence in the study proved to me that travel restrictions would help stop the spread of Zika. "This study assumed that the rate of imported Zika cases over time in U.S. locations would be proportional to the number of flights from Zika-affected areas." But then further along, this sentence disturbed me: "Despite these areas being at the most risk of receiving travelers infected with Zika Virus [sic], the environmental conditions at these locations may not be conducive to sustained local transmission." Source: http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/article/flirt-ing-with-zika-a-web-application-to-predict-the-movement-of-infected-travelers-validated-against-the-current-zika-virus-epidemic Yikes! In my mind, that sounded a bit like "sustained local transmission" was the desired outcome. I later discovered that four of the five study authors are from EcoHealth Alliance. The CDC is listed as one of their Governmental Partners: http://www.ecohealthalliance.org/partners On August 22nd, 2016, I read the following quote in The New Yorker post titled "The Race For A Zika Vaccine": "That's what happened with Ebola. Containment halted the spread of the infection – a great thing – but it made it difficult to test the vaccine." ~ Dr. Anthony Fauci, NIAID Director Source: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/08/22/the-race-for-a-zika-vaccine Unreal! I just read a post "CDC lifts Zika travel advisory for one Florida zone". Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/09/19/cdc-lifts-zika-travel-advisory-for-one-florida-zone Since 80 percent of those infected have no symptoms, nor would it be possible to test every mosquito in the area, I have no idea how they can lift a travel advisory (with a clear conscience). Furthermore, no semen test is widely available for men. As for pregnant women in that area, one pregnant reporter was "told that it would take about seven to 10 business days" to get her results. Yet, she confimed, "Four and a half weeks later, I was still waiting. I had plenty of company." Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/20/494592598/reporters-notebook-pregnant-and-caught-in-zika-test-limbo Bottom Line: We need to enact level 3 and level 4 travel restrictions to any area where Zika has been circulating. We also need to be mindful that two sources (in Brazil and China) have found Zika present in Culex mosquitoes. Clearly the Zika virus has dangerously mutated. And, we need to demand that Zika testing of semen become widely available for all men and that multiple health facilities have the capacity to test for it (not just the CDC). With 4.2 million Canadians vacationing annually in Florida, we need to be vigilant to ensure Canada doesn't have a repeat of what happened with thalidomide. If only Dr. Frances Kelsey were alive today, I doubt we would have pregnant women faced with such excruciating decisions. Authors note: I cannot use italics or hyperlink. Ergo, links are not hidden. How your signature helps: each time a supporter signs a petition, an email is automatically sent directly to those being petitioned (governments, companies and individuals). When hundreds or even thousands of emails arrive in their inboxes, the message is impossible to ignore. Take good care, Rose Webster Canadian freelance writer and activist Formerly employed in healthcare 20 years