"Zika Explosion"

The Zika virus is barely a blip on U.S. radar screens, but in the rest of the world it's going viral--literally.

Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika an international health emergency, with Brazil as ground zero.

And then news hit that the virus can be sexually transmitted.

Now it's all Zika, all the time. Especially in South America. Here in the U.S., election coverage trumps everything else (pun intended).

Widespread alarm, confusion and even panic for pregnant women in Brazil is igniting like wildfire.

Who's fanning the flames? WHO. The World Health Organization.

Statements out of the Organization get translated into screaming headlines:

• The Zika Vrus Is Now Spreading Explosively
• 4 Million Possible Infections
• Florida Governor Declares Zika Emergency
• Pregnant Zika Victims Offered Abortions
• South America Holds Crisis Meetings As  Zika "Nightmare" Spreads
• Could Zika Doom Rio Summer Olympics?

The Zika virus, usually transmitted by mosquitoes, causes only mild flu-like symptoms and a rash (or sometimes no symptoms at all) in 80% of cases. It's the other 20% that has people panicking.

The global health emergency was declared by WHO citing a "strongly suspected" relationship between Zika and microcephaly, a birth defect marked by abnormally small head/brain size in newborns.

Brazil has 4,074 newborns with microcephaly and researchers believe there's a link to the Zika infection.

There's no treatment or vaccine for Zika and WHO said the virus is now in at least 32 countries including the U.S.

The Bible teaches a wide variety of cosmic and natural events will occur before the end times: wars, great earthquakes, famines and epidemics (among other things). (Luke 21:11; Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:8)

And with modern travel, we should expect infectious disease to spread.

But fear? Not for the Christian. The Scriptures tell us over and over again to "fear not" and put our trust in the Lord. The only thing we should fear is offending Him.

And yes, Zika does appear to be a serious problem, but WHO's job is it to ramp up public awareness while tamping down public panic?

The World Health Organization.

That's WHO.

A wise man once said: "Even if humans feel lots of fear, remember God will take care of you. This is a collective message because fear is contagious..."  -- Pope Theodorus II

"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine" -- Isaiah 43:1.

News:

• The Washington Post: Zika a ticking 'time bomb' for Latin America; up to 650,000 Zika infections are expected.
• Reuters: Major U.S. airlines offer to reassign crew from Zika-hit routes; CDC urges pregnant women to avoid Zika-hit locations.
• CBS Los Angeles: Health officials looking into 20 potential Zika virus cases in L.A. county