follow timeline chart origin spread zika virus discovery nearly 70 years ago 1947 scientists research yellow fever uganda zika forest identify virus rhesus monkey 1948 virus recover aedes africanus mosquito zika forest 1952 first human case detect uganda tanzania 1954 virus find nigeria 1960s-80s zika detect mosquitoes monkey across equatorial africa 1969–83 zika find equatorial asia include india indonesia malaysia pakistan 2007 zika spread africa asia first large outbreak pacific island yap 2012 researchers identify two distinct lineages virus african asian 2013–14 zika outbreaks french polynesia easter island cook islands new caledonia retrospective analysis show possible link birth defect severe neurological complications baby french polynesia march 2015 brazil report illness characterize skin rash northeastern state july 17 brazil report detection neurological disorder newborns associate history infection oct. cape verde case illness skin rash oct. 22 colombia confirm case zika oct. 30 brazil report increase microcephaly abnormally small head among newborns nov. 11 brazil declare public health emergency november 2015-january 2016 case report suriname panama el salvador mexico guatemala paraguay venezuela french guiana martinique puerto rico guyana ecuador barbados bolivia dominican republic nicaragua curacao jamaica feb. world health organization declare public health emergency international concern feb. first case zika transmission unite state local health officials say likely contract sex mosquito bite feb. u.s. center disease control prevention say virus actively transmit 30 countries mostly americas feb. u.s. president barack obama request 1.8 billion fight zika feb. 12 brazil investigate potential link zika infections 4,314 suspect case microcephaly 462 confirm microcephaly 41 determine link virus feb. 17 brazil investigate potential link zika 4,443 suspect case microcephaly 508 confirm microcephaly case link virus seek 56 million fight zika feb. 18 cdc add aruba bonaire countries territories active outbreaks bring total 32. feb. 23 cdc investigate 14 case possible sexual transmission zika cdc also add trinidad tobago marshall islands countries territories active outbreaks bring total 34. feb. 25 brazil say confirm microcephaly case number 580 consider relate zika infections mother brazil investigate additional 4,100 suspect case microcephaly feb. 27 france detect first sexually transmit case zika feb. 29 cdc add st. maarten saint vincent grenadines countries territories active outbreaks bring total 36. march brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 641 consider relate zika infections mother brazil investigate additional 4,222 suspect case microcephaly march advise pregnant women avoid areas zika outbreak say sexual transmission virus relatively common march cdc add new caledonia countries territories active outbreaks bring total 37. march 15 cuba report first case zika contract country march 16 cape verde identify first case microcephaly march 18 cdc say jan. 2015 feb. 26 2016 116 residents unite state evidence recent zika virus infection base laboratory test brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 863 consider relate zika infections mother brazil investigate additional 4,268 suspect case microcephaly march 19 cdc add cuba countries territories active outbreaks bring total 38. march 21 south korea confirm first case zika march 22 cdc add dominica countries territories active outbreaks bring total 39. bangladesh confirm first case zika virus brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 907 consider relate zika infections mother brazil investigate additional 4,293 suspect case microcephaly march 29 brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 944 consider relate zika infections mother brazil say number suspect case microcephaly drop slightly 4,291. march 31 accord world health organization strong scientific consensus zika cause birth defect microcephaly well guillain-barre syndrome rare neurological disorder result paralysis though conclusive proof may take months years april cdc add kosrae federate state micronesia countries territories active outbreaks bring total 40. april cdc add fiji countries territories active outbreaks bring total 41. april vietnam report first zika infections april brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 1,046 consider relate zika infections mother number suspect case microcephaly drop 4,046. april st. lucia confirm first two case zika contract locally april 12 brazil say confirm microcephaly case rise 1,113 consider relate zika infections mother number suspect case microcephaly drop 3,836. second week row overall total figure fell april 13 u.s. center disease control prevention conclude infection zika virus pregnant women cause birth defect microcephaly severe brain abnormalities baby cdc say causal relationship establish several important question must still answer study could take years cdc add st. lucia countries territories active outbreaks bring total 42. april 14 colombia confirm two microcephaly case link zinka april 18 peru report first case sexually transmit zika virus cdc add belize countries territories active outbreaks bring total 43. april 19 chilean authorities find zika mosquito first time decades april 25 canada confirm first sexually transmit zika case april 26 brazil say number confirm case microcephaly climb 1,198 1,168 week april 23 suspect ones investigation continue decline 3,710 3,741 week ago brazil register 91,387 likely case zika virus february april health ministry say first national report epidemic april 29 puerto rico report first death relate zika accord cdc country also confirm 683 zika case include 65 pregnant women five suspect case guillain-barre syndrome zika cdc report may panama confirm four microcephaly case tie zika may spain get first case zika-related brain defect fetus may cdc add papua new guinea saint barthelemy peru countries territories active outbreaks bring total 46. honduras suspect first case microcephaly zika patient may 11 brazil say number confirm case microcephaly drop 1,326 week may doctor brazilian health officials find suspect case microcephaly disorder suspect ones investigation continue decline 3,433. may 12 cdc add grenada countries territories active outbreaks bring total 47. may 13 puerto rico report first case zika-related microcephaly may 20 say outbreak zika virus african island chain cape verde strain one blame birth abnormalities brazil may 24 brazil report number confirm case microcephaly 1,434 late week may 21. suspect ones investigation decline 3,257. may 26 cdc add argentina countries territories active outbreaks bring total 48. june issue update guidelines prevention sexual transmission zika virus include advise women live areas virus transmit delay get pregnant june 14 el salvador confirm first case microcephaly link zika june 23 cdc report seven baby unite state microcephaly zika-related birth defect serious brain abnormalities five lose pregnancies either miscarriage stillbirth termination june 28 first baby zika-related birth defect microcephaly bear florida june 30 cdc add anguilla countries territories active outbreaks bring total 49. guinea-bissau confirm three case zika government say spain record first case sexually transmit zika virus health authorities say july cdc confirm utah resident death last month first zika-related death continental unite state july 14 cdc add saint eustatius countries territories active outbreaks bring total 50. july 15 new york city health department report first female-to-male transmission zika virus july 18 cdc report caregiver utah man die zika test positive virus july 19 florida health officials investigate case zika virus infection appear stem travel another region outbreak july 21 cdc report 400 pregnant women u.s. evidence zika infection 346 week ago health agency also report three baby bear u.s. birth defect link zika virus bring total 12. florida department health say investigate non travel-related case zika broward county mark second case u.s. july 22 new york city health officials report first baby bear zika-related birth defect july 25 spain report first case europe baby bear zika-related defect cdc issue update recommendations prevent test zika infection warn virus transmit unprotected sex infect female partner july 26 honduras detect case baby zika-related defect cdc add saba countries territories active outbreaks bring total 51. july 27 paraguay report first case microcephaly link zika july 29 florida authorities report believe first evidence local zika transmission continental unite state aug. florida identify 10 case zika virus cause mosquitoes bring total 14. cdc issue guidelines pregnant women live travel affect area miami neighborhood aug. health authorities florida add one case locally transmit zika bring total 15. cdc add antigua barbuda turks cacos countries territories active outbreaks bring total 54. aug. u.s. researchers say launch zika vaccine clinical trial aug. cuba report two case locally transmit zika aug. florida health authorities report another locally transmit case bring total 16. aug. florida say investigate new case locally transmit zika palm beach county aug. texas health officials say death infant bear microcephaly link zika first casualty state associate virus cayman islands report two locally transmit zika case florida announce four case locally transmit zika bring total 21. aug. 11 florida report three additional case locally transmit zika bring total 25. source world health organization u.s. center disease control prevention reuters timeline zika 's origin global spread