Community Health and Population-Focused Nursing Task 2 Western Governo r’s University The Zika virus causes a viral infection, transmitted mainly by mosquitos, that can be difficult to diagnose because most people infected have no signs or symptoms of the disease. Those who do experience effects of the virus typically present with mild and vague complaints which can include low-grade fever, rash, joint and or muscle pain, headache and conjunctivitis. It is extremely rare for Zika virus to cause death but it does have associated complications. Those infected can develop a neurological disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and there are links to both miscarriage and a congenital brain defect, microcephaly, if Zika is contracted during pregnancy (“Zika virus disease,”2017). The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947 and has since spread throughout the world with incidences of the disease documented in over 50 countries (Kindhauser, M.K., Allen, T., Frank, V., Santhana, R.S., & Dye, C., 2016). The most recent and ongoing outbreak of Zika infection began in Brazil in May of 2015 (“Zika virus infection – Brazil and Columbia,” 2015). A region is considered to be experiencing an outbreak of the Zika virus when it is documented that the virus is being spread by indigenous or autochthonous mosquitoes. Autochthonous transmission of the Zika virus was first discovered in the Americas in Chile from February to June of 2014 (Pan American Health Organization & World Health Organization, 2015). The virus resurfaced in the Americas in May of 2015, causing an outbreak which began in Brazil. Since the discovery of the Zika virus in Brazil many more countries and territories throughout the Americas have confirmed autochthonous transmission of the disease. The dates which Zika was detected in the involved areas are as follows. Prior to October 2015 only Brazil was affected. From October to December of 2015 Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Suriname and Venezuela became involved. From January to March of 2016 Aruba, Barbados, Bolivia, Caribbean Netherlands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Sates Virgin Islands became involved. From April to June of 2016 Anguilla, Argentina, Belize, Grenada, Peru, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Lucia were added to the list.