First Zika vaccine trials may come too late for Brazil

"However, insecticides have not had a significant impact on dengue transmission and might therefore also not help against Zika,’’ WHO cautioned.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the first tests of Zika vaccines on humans are expected to start only at the end of the year.

The health agency noted that it would therefore not be able to help fight the current outbreak in Brazil.

WHO's Chief Innovation Officer, Marie-Paule Kieny, said the agency convened international experts in Geneva to discuss strategies to develop the right vaccine and diagnostic tools, as well as methods to fight mosquitoes.

WHO has made it an urgent task to drive this research forward because of strong indications that the virus causes neurological defects in unborn babies.

"There are currently 18 research projects on vaccines against the virus, which usually causes only mild flu symptoms.

"The most advanced of them are still a few months away from first human clinical trials.

"They might come too late for the current outbreak in Brazil,’’ Kieny said.

Brazil has had the largest share of infections amid the outbreak in Latin America.

Brazilian authorities have estimated up to 1.5 million infections, but they have stopped counting due to the rapid spread of the virus.

The virus is mostly transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which also spread very similar viruses including the one that causes dengue fever.

"However, insecticides have not had a significant impact on dengue transmission and might therefore also not help against Zika,’’ WHO cautioned.

Kieny said that Aedes aegypti is the cockroach of mosquitoes.

Latin American countries are considering alternative techniques, such as sterilising insects in laboratories, infecting them with certain bacteria, or using genetic engineering.

WHO said that extreme rigour was needed for evaluating such novel tools.

According to WHO, developing a medicine against Zika is not a priority because it would be difficult to test new products on pregnant women.

Gamawa said a Lassa fever Rapid Response Team had been sent to the affected areas to contain the situation while the state government had received drugs from the Federal Government for the treatment of the patients.

Bauchi State has recorded 21 cases of Lassa fever since November ,2015, Dr Adamu Gamawa, Chairman, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), has said.

Gamawa made the disclosure in Bauchi on Thursday, saying 11 victims had died and 10 on admission at the Exclusive Unit of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

He said the cases occurred in 12 communities of Bauchi, Alkaleri, Toro, Tafawa Balewa and Dass local government areas of the state.

Gamawa said the most recent case was in Ja’eh hamlet of Bal village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area where a 78 years old man who was infected had nine members of the family infested.

He said that another seven samples had been sent to Irua, Edo, for laboratory analyses.

Gamawa said a Lassa fever Rapid Response Team had been sent to the affected areas to contain the situation while the state government had received drugs from the Federal Government for the treatment of the patients.

The chairman said that the state government had approved the construction of an Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Bayara, a suburb of Bauchi, to deal with related cases.

He advised members of the public against treating suspected cases at patent medicines stores and traditional medical homes but to report to nearby health facilities for prompt action.

Mrs Martha Izang, a Nursing Superintendent and Ward Manager, at ATBUTH, Bauchi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that “I have six males and three females currently in the camp.

"I am equally expecting one male to be transferred from the Intensive unit of the hospital to the camp that has been confirmed to be infected with the disease,” Izang said.

She said that the patients were responding to treatment and confirmed the availability of drugs and accessories for the treatment of the patients.