US and Brazilian researchers are heading to João Pessoa in the state of Paraíba on Monday to recruit mothers and babies in one of the biggest government-led studies to understand whether the Zika virus is linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect.

The Zika virus may be particularly adept at entrenching itself in parts of the body that are shielded from the immune system, making it harder to fight off and possibly lengthening the timeframe in which it can be transmitted, top US experts say.

One of the US's most senior public health officials has revealed the "strongest evidence to date" of the effect on babies of the Zika virus.

A pregnant woman living in Queensland, Australia has tested positive for the Zika virus, say health authorities.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim has urged people not to be panicked regarding the risk of Zika virus infection.

If anyone is detected with Zika virus, the government will bear the cost of their treatment, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim says. Bangladesh government has taken all necessary steps to control the spread of the Zika virus, he tells reporters at the health ministry.

Over 3,100 pregnant Colombian women are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, President Juan Manuel Santos says.

Colombia says three people have died after contracting the Zika virus and developing a rare nerve disorder. Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria said there was a "causal connection" between Zika, the Guillain-Barre disorder and the three deaths.

The government will strengthen surveillance at air, water and land ports across the country and screen travellers coming from countries affected by Zika epidemic.

The government is to strengthen surveillance and screening of travelers coming into Bangladesh’s air, water and land ports coming from the countries affected by the Zika virus.

South American health ministers hold an emergency meeting on slowing the spread of the Zika virus, dubbed a "nightmare" by hard-hit Brazil, where it is blamed for brain damage in babies.

The mosquito behind the Zika virus seems to operate like a heat-driven missile of disease. The hotter it gets, the better the mosquito that carries Zika virus is at transmitting its buffet of dangerous illnesses, scientists say.

A rare case of the Zika virus being transmitted through sex, not a mosquito bite, has been reported in the US.

There is no chance that the Rio Olympics will be cancelled because of a Zika virus outbreak, Brazil says.

Risk of Zika virus infection in Bangladesh is low as the countries affected by the mosquito-borne disease are far away, an expert said here yesterday.

Risk for Zika virus infection in Bangladesh is low as the countries affected by the mosquito-borne disease are far away, experts says.

The World Health Organization's emergency committee will debate whether a Zika virus outbreak suspected of causing a surge in serious birth defects in South America should be considered a global health emergency.

For scores of women in the epicenter of the Zika outbreak in Brazil, the joy of pregnancy has given way to fear.

More than 2,100 pregnant Colombian women are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the country's national health institute says, as the disease continues its spread across the Americas.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff vows to "win the war" against the Zika virus, but some experts criticized her government's response and warned the Olympics could fuel the disease's spread.