Situation summary in the Americas
Since epidemiological week (EW) 44 of 2016, no additional countries or territories of the Americas have confirmed autochthonous, vector-borne transmission of Zika virus. To date, 48 countries and territories in the Americas have confirmed autochthonous, vector-borne transmission of Zika virus since 2015 (Figure 1). In addition, five countries in the Americas have reported sexually transmitted Zika cases.
Highlighted below is a summary of the epidemiological situation by sub-regions.
North America
In the United States of America, the Florida Department of Health reported isolated local transmission cases.4 In Mexico, new cases continue to be reported, although they have been decreasing since EW 40 of 2016.
Central America
The number of reported cases in Central America continues to decrease, with a weekly average of 335 cases, 275 suspected, and 60 confirmed, in the last four weeks (EW 6 to EW 9 of 2017).
In Costa Rica a slight increase of suspected and confirmed cases was reported in EW 5 of 2017.
In Panama there was increasing trend of suspected and confirmed cases between SE 30 of 2016 and SE 1 of 2017. Although there was a decrease in EW 2 of 2017, suspected and confirmed cases continue to be reported at a weekly average of 229 suspected and confirmed cases in the last 4 weeks.
Caribbean
In Aruba an increasing trend in suspected and confirmed cases was reported between EW 29 of 2016 and EW 4 of 2017. In the last four weeks, there was a weekly average of 53 suspected and confirmed cases.
In Curaçao, there is an increasing trend in the number of suspected and confirmed cases between EW 31 and EW 47 of 2016.
In Guadeloupe and Martinique a low circulation of the virus continues to be reported with a few sporadic confirmed cases in the last five weeks (EW 1 of EW 5 of 2017).
While other countries and territories in the Caribbean continue to report cases, there is a decreasing trend in the sub-region with a weekly average of 340 cases in the last four weeks.
South America
In Argentina in EW 8 of 2017, two autochthonous cases were confirmed for the first time in the province of Salta8 (one case) and in the province of Chaco (one case), the latter case had a history of having stayed in the province of Formosa during the probable period of infection. In 2016, autochthonous cases had been confirmed in the provinces of Córdoba and Tucumán.
In Paraguay, the trend of suspected cases increased between EW 42 of 2016 and EW 5 of 2017.
In Peru, there was an increase in the number of cases reported between EW 1 and EW 3 of 2017; the increase is related to an outbreak occurring in the department of Loreto. In 2017 cases were reported in new districts of the departments of Loreto, San Martín, and Ucayali.
In other countries of South America, the number of cases reported remains stable with a weekly average of 396 cases (353 suspected and 43 confirmed) in the last four weeks.