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THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs has updated their travel advice for Central and South American countries as fears grow over the spread of the Zika virus.
The World Health Organisation is investigating an apparent link between the virus – spread by mosquitoes - and a rise in birth defects.
Babies across the region, and at least one in the United States, have been born with abnormally smaller heads — a condition doctors call microcephaly, which can cause brain damage.
The scare has struck hardest in Brazil, which hosts the summer Olympic Games in August.
A total of 19 countries are covered by the warning, with pregnant women being advised to “discuss your travel plans with your healthcare provider and to consider postponing your travel to affected areas”.
“Irish citizens are advised to follow guidance available on the website of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre,” the warning adds.
The countries are:
The United States has also warned pregnant women not to visit several countries because of the Zika risk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week noted a surge in cases of microcephaly in Brazil, the country most affected by the current epidemic.
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Friday there were 3,893 suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil, which included 49 deaths. Before last year there were about 160 cases of microcephaly in Brazil on average.
“The link between the Zika and the microcephaly… is still being investigated,” Lindmeier said, but acknowledged that Zika ”seems the strongest candidate.”
He said there were “about 20 countries in the Americas which are reporting Zikacases, and about 10 in Africa, Asia and the Pacific,” but the biggest outbreaks were in Brazil, Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America.
Contains reporting by © – AFP 2016
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The two of them share the same ultimate dream – to get the opportunity to meet Bono one day.
@Tweed Cap: that would be “a beautiful day”
@Tweed Cap: Oh to be a FLY on the wall during those meetings
Francis would want to mind the white dress around him. Tan marks, nightmare.
Popes face says it all.
Did Trump do his “handshake takedown”
@ianglen: He dropped his trousers to show the Pope he has not got small hands lol.
I take it the liberal/secularists will be throwing their weight behind The Donald on this one eh?
Hahaha.
@Jack Cassady:
I’m an atheist, but I’d still throw my weight behind this pope ahead of the Drumpf any day…..
@Avina Laaf:
Agreed, no contest.
Donald may be the leader of the free world but Francis is the leader of the universe.
@Jack Cassady:
I disagree on both counts, but I’d still take Frankie ahead of Don….
@Avina Laaf:
Environmentalists will certainly side with Francis.
@Jack Cassady: As opposed to the God fearing Trump supporters?
@Jack Cassady: Maybe your universe,darling.What,is he Zeus or something now ?
@Jack Cassady: Neanderthals with the Donald.
Why the head gear on the women??
@Rob Cahill: Its protocol.
@Rob Cahill: Look like they are attending a funeral….the death of rational common sense.
@Rob Cahill: Go and protest at Vatican embassy !!
@Nointerest Here: Apparently it’s no longer mandatory – and Francis prefers to do away with such pomp.. Merkel didn’t wear one. Interesting that both women chose to cover their heads when meeting the pope, but not in Saudi Arabia.
@cortisola: apparently it is unoccupied presently.. Ships………..abandonment etc etc etc….
A miracle might happen. God gives him a brain
@Paul O Riordan: A brain goes into a skull and not an arse?
Everyone in the first photo is frowning/serious, except Donald. Did he just fart?
“They also disagree on issues like the death penalty and the arms trade but share a fervent opposition to abortion.”
Donnie is as “pro life” as Alveda King is..LOL
Isn’t Melenia jumping the gun with her outfit?
@Niall Mac Giolla Phádraig: And yet she thinks it is her right to bare arms at the same time lol.
Was it someone’s funeral?
@David Lawrence: The Earth’s I think?
Bizarre how the fundamentalist right in the US, don’t seem to mind the Pope.
@Old Gordon: Some weirdos call him the AntiChrist, only proving how stupid they are?
Report says two of them enjoyed a cordial..the pus on the pope seems to indicate he is sucking on a lemon as opposed to a fresh fruit drink…….bit of history there l think with Citibank and the Macri family in Argentina….annie details on the above would be treated with Jesuitic secrecy….
Trump is appropriately dressed,whereas yer man beside him is wearing a dress.
The pope looks singularly unimpressed with having to go through with this charade. Protocol suddenly became important to the trump tribe so they don’t upset the fundamentalist christian right who support them. The real first lady’s orthodox jewish husband would not be impressed either (thought she had to convert when they were married ??? ) What a farce !!!
a pair of chancers shake hands.
Did Jared die?
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