The plague at our doorstep: ethical issues presented by the Zika virus outbreak
By Ryan Purcell Image courtesy of Flickr user Day Donaldson “Never before in history has there been a situation when a bite from a mosquito can result in such a devastating scenario.” So says Tom Frieden , director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). The Zika virus has captured headlines since late 2015 , when word spread north from Brazil that a virus, new to the Americas, may be silently causing alarming neurodevelopmental disorders in newborns. Now, the southern United States is preparing to confront the mosquito-borne illness, which “may become the first great plague of the 21st century.” As public health officials continue to work to mitigate the impact of what the World Health Organization has declared a “Global Health Emergency”, there are several important ethical issues that must be considered. These include a women’s reproductive rights, disability rights concerning those most affected, and the growing realization that poverty-stric...