The World Health Organization has declared "a public health emergency" over the explosive spread of the Zika virus, which has been related to birth defects in the Americas.
After an emergency meeting, Margaret Chan, the director general of the Geneva-based WHO made the announcement at a press conference on Monday.
With no vaccine and no cure, as well as imprecise testing, Zika's rapid rise has pushed the organization to quickly respond.
The main concern is the virus' close association with microcephaly in infants, a condition where babies are born with brain damage and small heads, although there is no scientific evidence yet.
WHO officials say the declaration will help intensify control efforts as well as the creation of a better diagnostic test and vaccine.
The WHO has made similar global health emergency declarations only for three other occasions, including one in August 2014 for the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
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