The Zika Virus

The Zika Virus — page 1
CHAPTER ONE TAKING ZIKA SERIOUSLY In late 2015 Jade Coelho de Miranda was a 20 year old student at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil She often visited a park near her school The park swarmed with mosquitoes but at first she did not worry about them Then she developed a red rash over much of her body The rash worried her so she told her father about it He encouraged her to check into the hospital After examining and testing de Miranda doctors determined she was infected with the Zika virus She was soon experiencing the standard symptoms of Zika She developed muscle pain and a fever Then she started having trouble moving her hands They felt as if they were frozen in place Even her eyes felt irritated Mosquitoes ability to spread diseases makes them among the planet's most dangerous animals