The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Tuesday that it is mobilizing a coordinated response to Zika aimed at minimizing the threat in affected countries and reducing the risk of further international spread.

"FAO, with its resources and expertise, is ready to do its part in addressing this emergency which continues to evolve," FAO chief Jose Graziano da Silva said in a statement.

"Zika virus is transmitted to humans primarily by the aedes mosquitoes and a critical measure to combat the spread of the disease is to intensify control of mosquito populations in affected and at-risk areas," he said.

Actions that can be taken to combat the spread of the Zika virus include the removal of stagnant water used by mosquitoes to breed. Affected communities need to be encouraged and assisted to ensure that animal drinking water containers are emptied, cleaned and scrubbed weekly. Ponds and other areas where stagnant water collects should also be drained and removed.

If intensive use of insecticides is required, it is essential it be done with great care to promote safety for humans and to protect the food chain from contamination. "We are in a strong position to provide support to affected countries and regions combating the spread of Zika," Da Silva said.

FAO, in a joint program with World Health Organization, has developed a set of recommendations on management of insecticides.

Da Silva believes it is possible for FAO to analyze the movements and changing habitats of the aedes mosquito vectors which can be important in mitigating or preventing the disease.

"A possible longer term solution is the sterile insect technique that has been developed at the FAO-IAEA joint program on nuclear techniques in food and agriculture. It has been successfully used worldwide for over 50 years for various agricultural insect pests," he said.

"The human toll from this emergency is potentially devastating and we must work closely together to ensure it is brought under control," da Silva said. Endit

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