Europe warns of Zika risks in Mexico

The European governments have begun to issue a health warning to their citizens due to the presence of the Zika virus in Mexico, while the World Health Organization (WHO) has emitted a series of global recommendations on the subject.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, advised pregnant women or with pregnancy plans to postpone their trips to the Latin American country due to the likely relationship between the Zika contagion and the birth of children with microcephaly.

The British Ministry of Foreign Affairs also warned about the outbreak in Mexico and recommended expecting mothers to reconsider their travel plans if they are visiting the country.

Similarly, the governments of Ireland, Italy, Belgium and Germany issued the same recommendations and ask travelers to take all the necessary precautions in any case.

The recommendations refer to Mexico in general, not specific regions that could have been affected by the virus outbreak.

Other governments that have not yet fixed a position, as the Netherlands, are under pressure to do so.

"This is a potential threat so great for health as the avian influenza in Asia and the Ebola virus in West Africa," said Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, lawmaker from the 66 Democratic Party.

According to the WHO, there is no vaccine or therapy against this virus, which was first identified in a human being in 1952.

As preventive measures, WHO suggests protecting against mosquito bites, either with repellent, trousers, long sleeved blouses and mosquito nets.