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 1960s-80s zika detect mosquitoes monkey across equatorial africa 1960s–80s 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. 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 1.9 billion fight zika feb. 18 cdc add aruba bonaire countries territories active outbreaks bring total 32 feb. 23 cdc 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 additional 4,100 suspect case microcephaly feb. 27 france detect first sexually transmit case zika march advise pregnant women avoid areas zika outbreak say sexual transmission virus relatively common march 19 cdc add cuba countries territories active outbreaks bring total 38 march 22 cdc add dominica countries territories active outbreaks bring total 39 march 31 world health organization say 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 13 cdc conclude infection zika virus pregnant women cause birth defect microcephaly severe brain abnormalities baby cdc add st. lucia countries territories active outbreaks bring total 42 april 18 cdc add belize countries territories active outbreaks bring total 43 april 25 canada confirm first sexually transmit zika case april 29 puerto rico report first death relate zika accord cdc island territory also confirm 683 zika case include 65 pregnant women five suspect case guillain-barre syndrome zika may panama confirm four microcephaly case tie zika may spain first case zika-related brain defect fetus may cdc add papua new guinea saint barthelemy peru countries territories active outbreaks bring total 46 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 26 cdc add argentina countries territories active outbreaks bring total 48 june 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 30 cdc add anguilla countries territories active outbreaks bring total 49 july cdc confirm utah resident death previous 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 raise question spread july 19 florida health officials investigate case zika virus infection may cause local mosquito bite 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 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. cdc add antigua barbuda turks caicos countries territories active outbreaks bring total 54 aug. u.s. researchers say launch zika vaccine clinical trial aug. 11 cdc add cayman islands countries territories active outbreaks bring total 55 aug. 12 u.s. department health human service declare public health emergency puerto rico zika 10,690 laboratory-confirmed case aug. 13 brazil report 1,835 confirm case microcephaly aug. 16 haiti report first case microcephaly link zika aug. 17 guatemala confirm first case newborn microcephaly link zika aug. 19 florida governor say five case zika believe contract miami beach second area miami-dade county virus spread aug. 25 cdc add bahamas unite state countries territories active outbreaks bring total 57 aug. 26 fda recommend blood donate unite state territories test zika virus start 11 state first phase nicaragua confirm first microcephaly birth link zika aug. 27-29 singapore confirm first case locally transmit zika virus rise 56 case two days late aug. 30 confirm case singapore rise 82 late infections detect beyond area initial outbreak several countries advise pregnant women try conceive avoid travel city-state australia taiwan south korea unite state issue travel warn aug. 31 cdc add singapore british virgin islands countries territories active outbreaks bring tally 58 cdc group together antigua barbuda update official count sept. malaysia detect first case locally transmit zika sept. philippines confirm first case zika virus likely transmit locally sept. florida confirm 56 locally transmit case 577 travel-related infections 80 infections involve pregnant women sept. singapore report 283 case locally transmit zika virus sept. 10 singapore locally transmit zika case rise 329 source world health organization u.s. center disease control prevention reuters timeline zika 's origin global spread