Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome – or how the media is spreading fear in search of headlines
Westminster World examines the truth behind the recent media hype surrounding the Zika virus - in particular its link to a rare neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Travellers going to Brazil for the Olympics may have been worried by some of the headlines they have seen recently.
'The other deadly disease lurking in Zika mosquitoes' – The Independent, 6th February 2016
'...growing fears Zika virus is causing the potentially crippling condition' – Daily Mail, 13th February 2016
'Now killer virus paralysing people – after just ONE mosquito bite' – Daily Star, 18th February 2016
From the coverage in the British media, the public would be forgiven for thinking the Zika virus is the second coming of smallpox. Crippling babies, causing paralysis and