As Marilia Lima feels the realities of the Zika virus effects, she feels that the state has abandoned her. The virus causes birth defects in children born with the virus. The birth defects include small head and severe head damage. Lima gave birth to her child with defects attributed to Zika virus. There are currently more than for 3500 children affected with the virus. The virus was identified in the country on May, and the doctors are already establishing its effects to the birth defects.
Mosquito bites transmit the virus. Lima laments that she caught the virus through a mosquito bite during her pregnancy. With little known about the disease, she felt no need for alarm. The problems with her fetus started demonstrating on the next prenatal checkup. The effects were clear during birth as the child had a markedly small head. The doctors describe the condition as microcephaly.
According to Lima, her child has problem sucking and has developed problems in his lips, eyes and legs. She is a civil servant and a lawyer. Lima describes the condition of her son as very disheartening given the government is doing little in her case. Lima says her greatest support comes from her husband, family, and friends. Lima describes the government neglect as the contributor to the spreading of Zika virus. She also says on noticias the medical establishments do little to help her with her situation.
Speaking to the National Public Radio Lima says the doctors understand little about the new virus. The majority of Brazilians rely on the country’s National Health Service. Lima says that the inadequate knowledge about the virus has left her chasing doctors one after the other in search or help. The resident of natal is worried that time is running out decreasing the children’s only hope of survival.
Sergio Cortes is a Brazilian medical expert. He traces the virus back to its identification in Uganda and Tanzania in East Africa. The virus has spread all over the world in Asia and South America. The worst affected are Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. The world health organization has already issued a warning of the dangers of the virus. Sergio notes in information published in his website that doctors are worried that the effects of the virus are severe and cases are increasing rapidly and outbreaks increasing.
The article is recapped from NPR .com