The Zika virus is “is now spreading explosively” the head of the World Health Organization said on Thursday, announcing that WHO has called an emergency committee meeting on Monday to to decide if the outbreak should be declared an international health emergency. At a special briefing in Geneva,the WHO director general Margaret Chan, said It was “deeply concerning” that the virus had now been detected in 23 countries in the Americas. US officials said the country had two potential candidates for a vaccine, and might begin clinical trials in people by the end of this year. The Guardian reports: One WHO scientist estimated there could be 3-4m Zika infections in the Americas over the next year. The spread of the virus has prompted governments across the world to advise pregnant women against going to the areas where it has been detected. There is no vaccine or cure for Zika, which has been linked to microcephaly, a serious condition that can cause lifelong developmental problems. Chan said: “The level of alarm is extremely high. Arrival of the virus in some cases has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads.” She added: “A causal [...]