🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 55 (from laksa143)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa055.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.newsweek.com/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.newsweek.com/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230","crawl_time":1776166611,"first_indexed_time":1531848725,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,newsweek!www,\/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230 s443","src_root_hash":"10153935897910600055","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Exploring Uganda’s Zika Forest, Where the Infamous Virus Was First Identified - Newsweek","meta_descriptions":["Parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus,"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"The Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe.\nThe virus has been linked to a massive\nBrazil outbreak of microcephaly\n—a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a\nPublic Health Emergency of International Concern\n(PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response.\nBut parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official.\nThe virus was\nfirst identified\nin rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO.\nZika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is\nwidely distributed\nin Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades,\nthe BBC reported\n. Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently  announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region.\nYet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. \"If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives,\" says Kalebi.\nThere is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though\nThe Guardian\nreported\nthat Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. \"It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others,\" says Kalebi.\nThe WHO has warned that the virus is likely to\nspread throughout North and South America\n, but could also move to other continents.\nThirty-three countries\nacross the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected\nmore than 25,600 people\nin Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women.\nSo far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde,\naccording to the WHO\n. No cases have been reported on the African mainland.\nChristian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is \"a very interesting theory\" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. \"It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts [of the world] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak,\" says Lindmeier.","attrs_markdown":"[iran war live updates Vance Calls Out ‘Economic Terrorism’ as Blockade Starts](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/iran-war-updates-vance-economic-terrorism-blockade-starts-11824389)\n\n- [U.S.](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us)\n  \n  - [News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n  - [Politics](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/politics)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/technology)\n  - [Fact Check](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/fact-check)\n  - [Sports](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/sports)\n- [Global](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n  \n  - [Russia-Ukraine](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/russia)\n  - [Middle East](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/middle-east)\n  - [China And Asia](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/china)\n  - [Better Planet](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/better-planet)\n  - [All World News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/life)\n  \n  - [Family & Parenting](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/parenting)\n  - [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/entertainment)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/travel)\n  - [Pets](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/pets)\n  - [Automotive](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/autos)\n  - [Relationships](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/relationships)\n  - [Science](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/tech-science)\n  - [Health](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/health)\n  - [Personal Finance](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/personal-finance)\n  - [Better Workplaces](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/better-workplaces)\n  - [Readers Choice](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/readerschoice)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n  \n  - [My Turn](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/my-turn)\n  - [All Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n- [Rankings](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/)\n  \n  - [Health](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/health)\n  - [Finance](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/finance)\n  - [Products](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/products-services)\n  - [Education](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/education)\n  - [Workplaces](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/work)\n  - [Corporate Responsibility](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/corporate-responsibility)\n  - [All Rankings](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/)\n- [Social](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/)\n  \n  - [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Newsweek)\n  - [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newsweek)\n  - [YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/newsweek)\n  - [TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@newsweek)\n  - [Twitter\/X](https:\/\/x.com\/newsweek)\n  - [Reddit](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/newsweek\/)\n- [Extra](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/)\n  \n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/preference-center)\n  - [Newsmakers](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/newsmakers)\n  - [Unconventional](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/unconventional)\n  - [Events](https:\/\/events.newsweek.com\/)\n  - [Podcasts](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/podcasts)\n  - [Vantage](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/vantage)\n  - [Magazine](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/archive)\n  - [CEO Circle](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/ceo-circle)\n  - [Announcements](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/announcements)\n  - [Leadership](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/leadership)\n  - [Dev Pragad](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/dev-pragad)\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/subscribe)\n\nSign In\n\n- U.S.\n  [News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)[Politics](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/politics)[Tech](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/technology)[Fact Check](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/fact-check)[Sports](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/sports)\n- Global\n  [Russia-Ukraine](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/russia)[Middle East](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/middle-east)[China And Asia](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/china)[Better Planet](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/better-planet)[All World News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n- Lifestyle\n  [Family & Parenting](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/parenting)[Entertainment](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/entertainment)[Travel](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/travel)[Pets](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/pets)[Automotive](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/autos)[Relationships](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/relationships)[Science](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/tech-science)[Health](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/health)[Personal Finance](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/personal-finance)[Better Workplaces](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/better-workplaces)[Readers Choice](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/readerschoice)\n- Opinion\n  [My Turn](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/my-turn)[All Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n- Rankings\n  [Health](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/health)[Finance](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/finance)[Products](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/products-services)[Education](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/education)[Workplaces](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/work)[Corporate Responsibility](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/category\/corporate-responsibility)[All Rankings](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/)\n- Social\n  [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Newsweek)[Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newsweek)[YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/newsweek)[TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@newsweek)[Twitter\/X](https:\/\/x.com\/newsweek)[Reddit](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/user\/newsweek\/)\n- Extra\n  [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/preference-center)[Newsmakers](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/newsmakers)[Unconventional](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/unconventional)[Events](https:\/\/events.newsweek.com\/)[Podcasts](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/podcasts)[Vantage](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/vantage)[Magazine](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/archive)[CEO Circle](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/ceo-circle)[Announcements](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/announcements)[Leadership](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/leadership)[Dev Pragad](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/dev-pragad)\n\n[Science](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/tech-science)\n\n[Zika virus](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/zika-virus)[East Africa](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/east-africa)[microcephaly](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/microcephaly)[World health organization](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/world-health-organization)\n\nNews Article\n\n# Exploring Uganda’s Zika Forest, Where the Infamous Virus Was First Identified\n***\nPublished\n\nFeb 11, 2016 at 08:58 AM EST\n\nupdated\n\nSep 09, 2016 at 01:30 PM EDT\n\nA signpost leading to Zika forest in Uganda, January 29. The Zika virus was first discovered in the forest in 1947, but there have been very few confi...\n\nRead More\n\n\\| ISAAC KASAMANI\/AFP\/Getty Images\n\nBy Conor Gaffey\n\nStaff Writer\n\n0\n\nShare\n\n[Newsweek is a Trust Project member](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/editorial-guidelines)\n\nPrefer Newsweek on Google\n\nto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.\n***\n\nThe Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe.\n\nThe virus has been linked to a massive  [Brazil outbreak of microcephaly](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-related-microcephaly-not-zika-public-health-emergency-international-421812)—a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a  [Public Health Emergency of International Concern](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-virus-public-health-emergency-421535) (PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response.\n\nBut parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official.\n\nThe virus was  [first identified](https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/zika-virus) in rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO.\n\nZika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is  [widely distributed](https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/sdata201535?error=cookies_not_supported&code=fa822d31-004c-4d20-9252-817e9a61b2cf) in Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades,  [the BBC reported](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-35431181). Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region.\n\nYet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. \"If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives,\" says Kalebi.\n\nThere is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though  [*The Guardian* reported](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2016\/feb\/08\/zikas-spread-brazil-continues-but-where-else-danger) that Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. \"It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others,\" says Kalebi.\n\nRead More\n\n#### Science\n\n[Roman Objects Discovered in 2,000-Year-Old Lake](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/roman-objects-discovered-2000-year-old-lake-11820418)\n\n[Watch Live: Artemis 2 Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/watch-live-artemis-2-returns-to-earth-after-historic-moon-mission-11812758)\n\n[More Related Stories](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/tech-science)\n\nThe WHO has warned that the virus is likely to  [spread throughout North and South America](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-virus-spread-america-united-states-who-paho-419212), but could also move to other continents.  [Thirty-three countries](https:\/\/www.paho.org\/hq\/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11657:global-situation-report-zika-february-5th-2016&Itemid=41716&lang=en) across the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected  [more than 25,600 people](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-pregnant-women-colombia-423842) in Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women.\n\nSo far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde,  [according to the WHO](https:\/\/www.who.int\/csr\/don\/21-december-2015-zika-cape-verde\/en\/). No cases have been reported on the African mainland.\n\nChristian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is \"a very interesting theory\" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. \"It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts \\[of the world\\] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak,\" says Lindmeier.\n\n[Request Reprint & Licensing](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/contact)\n\nSubmit Correction\n\n[View Editorial & AI Guidelines](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/editorial-guidelines)\n\n***\nPrefer Newsweek on Google\n\nto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.\n\n## Recommended For You\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[France Pulls All Gold Out of US Federal Reserve](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/france-pulls-all-gold-out-of-us-federal-reserve-11792591)\n\n3 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Classic Cars Face Weekday Driving Ban Under New Plan](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/classic-cars-minnesota-weekday-driving-ban-new-plan-11805629)\n\n3 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Americans Urged To Reboot Internet Routers by NSA](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/americans-reboot-internet-routers-nsa-11810909)\n\n6 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Nancy Guthrie Update: Ex-FBI Agent Says Motive For Kidnapping Is ‘Simple’](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/nancy-guthrie-update-ex-fbi-agent-motive-for-kidnapping-simple-11819073)\n\n4 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Suspect in Sam Altman Home Attack Viewed AI as Threat to Humanity](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/suspect-in-sam-altman-home-attack-viewed-ai-as-threat-to-humanity-11822935)\n\n2 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Artemis 2 Audio Released As Crew Reports ‘Falling’ To Moon](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/artemis-2-moon-tracker-launch-mission-audio-11788403)\n\n4 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Pam Bondi Breaks Silence After Sudden Firing](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/pam-bondi-fired-attorney-general-trump-live-updates-11776641)\n\n2 min read\n\n[Relationships](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/relationships)\n\n[Widow Finds Unopened Card 10 Years After Husband’s Death—Tears Over Note](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/widow-finds-unopened-card-10-years-after-husbands-death-tears-over-note-11819881)\n\n3 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Mystery Over 8 Missing or Dead Experts Linked to UFO Research](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/mystery-over-8-missing-or-dead-experts-linked-to-ufo-research-11792852)\n\n4 min read\n\n[Politics](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/politics)\n\n[Supreme Court Hands Republicans Election Win](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/supreme-court-republicans-election-win-ohio-ballot-dispute-11806812)\n\n4 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[7 Most Incredible Photos Captured By Artemis 2](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/7-most-incredible-photos-captured-by-artemis-2-11791771)\n\n4 min read\n\n[On the Internet](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/on-the-internet)\n\n[Artemis 2 Astronaut Responds To Obama Message—Internet Spots Two Key Words](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/artemis-2-astronaut-responds-obama-message-key-words-11818976)\n\n3 min read\n\n[U.S.](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us)\n\n[Map Shows Best And Worst States For Renters](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/map-shows-best-and-worst-states-for-renters-11798754)\n\n3 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Iran War Updates: Netanyahu Vows to Keep Striking Hezbollah Despite Ceasefire Strain](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/iran-war-latest-live-updates-trump-issues-warning-bigger-strikes-strait-hormuz-nuclear-weapons-lebanon-11803200)\n\n2 min read\n\n[For Members](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/topic\/for-members)\n\n[World](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n\n[Exclusive: Cuba’s President Vows to ‘Fight’ if US Launches Military Action](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/miguel-diaz-canel-cuba-president-vows-to-fight-if-us-launches-military-action-11786924)\n\n7 min read\n\n## Conversation\nLog in\n\n\\|\n\nSign up\n\nStart a discussion, not a fire. Post with kindness. Read our guidelines  [here](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/community-guidelines)\n\n![Jump to log in or sign Up](https:\/\/cdn.viafoura.net\/assets\/defaultavatar.913f94a2fa72a280b0374131f1c9b175.png)\n\nAll Comments\n\nMOST LIKED\n\n**0**\n\n### All Comments\nStart the conversation\n\n## Active Conversations\nThe following is a list of the most commented articles in the last 7 days.\n\n- [A trending article titled \"JD Vance reacts to Trump’s AI Jesus post and Pope Leo feud backlash\" with 26 comments.JD Vance reacts to Trump’s AI Jesus post and Pope Leo feud backlash 26](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/jd-vance-reacts-to-trumps-ai-jesus-post-and-pope-leo-feud-backlash-11823938?__vfz=medium%3Dconversations_top_pages)\n- [A trending article titled \"Iran war updates: first ships cross Strait testing U.S. blockade\" with 17 comments.Iran war updates: first ships cross Strait testing U.S. blockade 17](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/iran-war-updates-vance-economic-terrorism-blockade-starts-11824389?__vfz=medium%3Dconversations_top_pages)\n\nPowered by\n## Related Podcasts\n## Top Stories\n[Politics](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/politics)\n\n[Eric Swalwell’s Downfall Is Bad News for One 2028 Democratic Hopeful](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/eric-swalwells-downfall-is-bad-news-for-one-2028-democratic-hopeful-11821842)\n\n7 min read\n\n[World](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n\n[First Tanker Makes It Out of Hormuz Amid US Blockade And It’s A Chinese Ship](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/first-chinese-tanker-makes-it-out-hormuz-amid-us-blockade-11825060)\n\n3 min read\n\n[World](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n\n[Putin’s Troops Surrender Position To Robots For First Time: Zelensky](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/russia-ukraine-war-latest-putin-troops-surrender-military-robot-first-time-11825010)\n\n3 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[Mark Carney Scores Major Election Victory in Canada](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/mark-carney-scores-major-election-victory-in-canada-11820500)\n\n4 min read\n\n[U.S.](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us)\n\n[Elise Stefanik on Campus Antisemitism, Harvard and Higher-Ed Reform](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/elise-stefanik-campus-antisemitism-harvard-higher-ed-reform-11823000)\n\n14 min read\n\n[News](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/news)\n\n[List of Pro-Trump Christian Leaders Rebuking President](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/list-of-pro-trump-christian-leaders-rebuking-president-11822680)\n\n5 min read\n\n[Trending](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/)\n\nDonald Trump\n\n[Trump Sparks Fury With Image of Himself as Jesus: ‘Antichrist Spirit’](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/trump-sparks-fury-with-image-of-himself-as-jesus-antichrist-spirit-11818578)\n\n7 min read\n\nAir quality\n\n[Thousands in California Urged To Stay Inside—‘Keep Windows Closed’](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/thousands-california-urged-stay-inside-keep-windows-closed-11818874)\n\n3 min read\n\nCalifornia\n\n[Who Is Eric Swalwell’s Wife, Brittany Watts? What We Know About Family](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/eric-swalwell-wife-brittany-watts-family-kids-resigns-11823524)\n\n5 min read\n\nVA\n\n[VA Gives Financial Boost To Veterans: What Changes and Who Qualifies](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/va-gives-financial-boost-to-veterans-11815178)\n\n4 min read\n\nGolf\n\n[Scottie Scheffler Delivers Strong Message on Rory McIlroy After Masters Win](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/sports\/golf\/scottie-scheffler-delivers-strong-message-on-rory-mcilroy-after-masters-win-11818366)\n\n3 min read\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[The Future is Female: Politics Can’t Function Properly Without Us \\| Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/the-future-is-female-politics-cant-function-properly-without-us-opinion-11812960)\n\n5 min read\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[Yom Hashoah 2026 and The Cold War Roots of Modern Antisemitism \\| Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/yom-hashoah-2026-and-the-cold-war-roots-of-modern-antisemitism-opinion-11811467)\n\n5 min read\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[Deportations Are Putting US Disaster Response at Risk \\| Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/deportations-are-putting-us-disaster-response-at-risk-opinion-11807297)\n\n4 min read\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[Why Cutting Education During Crises Costs More in the Long Run \\| Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/cutting-education-during-crises-costs-more-in-long-run-opinion-11791949)\n\n5 min read\n\n[Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n\n[What Afrika Bambaataa Did \\| Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/what-afrika-bambaataa-did-opinion-11810699)\n\n7 min read\n\n### sections\n- [U.S.](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us)\n- [Global](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/life)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/health)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n- [Rankings](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/)\n\n### company\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/about-newsweek)\n- [Masthead](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/about-newsweek#masthead)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/careers)\n- [Diversity & Inclusion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/diversity-report)\n- [Mission Statement](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/mission-statement)\n- [Leadership](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/leadership)\n\n### editions\n- [U.S. Edition](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/)\n- [日本](https:\/\/www.newsweekjapan.jp\/)\n- [Polska](https:\/\/www.newsweek.pl\/)\n- [România](https:\/\/newsweek.ro\/)\n\n### contact\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/advertising.newsweek.com\/)\n- [Corrections](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/corrections)\n- [Announcements](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/announcements)\n- [Press Center](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/press-center-image-gallery)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/contact)\n\n### terms of use\n- [Cookie Policy](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/cookie-policy)\n- [Copyright](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/copyright)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/privacy-policy)\n- [Terms & Conditions](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/terms-service)\n- [Terms of Sale](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/terms-sale)\n- Privacy Settings\n\n### sections\n- [U.S.](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/us)\n- [Global](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/world)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/life)\n- [Health](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/health)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/opinion)\n- [Rankings](https:\/\/rankings.newsweek.com\/)\n\n### company\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/about-newsweek)\n- [Masthead](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/about-newsweek#masthead)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/careers)\n- [Diversity & Inclusion](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/diversity-report)\n- [Mission Statement](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/mission-statement)\n- [Leadership](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/leadership)\n\n### editions\n- [U.S. Edition](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/)\n- [日本](https:\/\/www.newsweekjapan.jp\/)\n- [Polska](https:\/\/www.newsweek.pl\/)\n- [România](https:\/\/newsweek.ro\/)\n\n### contact\n- [Advertise](https:\/\/advertising.newsweek.com\/)\n- [Corrections](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/corrections)\n- [Announcements](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/announcements)\n- [Press Center](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/press-center-image-gallery)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/contact)\n\n### terms of use\n- [Cookie Policy](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/cookie-policy)\n- [Copyright](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/copyright)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/privacy-policy)\n- [Terms & Conditions](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/terms-service)\n- [Terms of Sale](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/terms-sale)\n- Privacy Settings\n\n© 2026 Newsweek Digital LLC\n\n![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6972086&cv=4.4.0&cj=1)\n\n![](https:\/\/di.rlcdn.com\/api\/segment?pid=468096&pdata=prop%3Dnw_site) ![](https:\/\/cnv.event.prod.bidr.io\/log\/cnv?tag_id=177&buzz_key=adprime&value=&segment_key=adprime-3145&account_id=2)\n\n**0**","attrs_readable_markdown":"The Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe.\n\nThe virus has been linked to a massive  [Brazil outbreak of microcephaly](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-related-microcephaly-not-zika-public-health-emergency-international-421812)—a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a  [Public Health Emergency of International Concern](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-virus-public-health-emergency-421535) (PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response.\n\nBut parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official.\n\nThe virus was  [first identified](https:\/\/www.who.int\/en\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/zika-virus) in rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO.\n\nZika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is  [widely distributed](https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/sdata201535?error=cookies_not_supported&code=fa822d31-004c-4d20-9252-817e9a61b2cf) in Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades,  [the BBC reported](https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-35431181). Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region.\n\nYet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. \"If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives,\" says Kalebi.\n\nThere is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though  [*The Guardian* reported](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2016\/feb\/08\/zikas-spread-brazil-continues-but-where-else-danger) that Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. \"It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others,\" says Kalebi.\n\nThe WHO has warned that the virus is likely to  [spread throughout North and South America](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-virus-spread-america-united-states-who-paho-419212), but could also move to other continents.  [Thirty-three countries](https:\/\/www.paho.org\/hq\/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11657:global-situation-report-zika-february-5th-2016&Itemid=41716&lang=en) across the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected  [more than 25,600 people](https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/zika-pregnant-women-colombia-423842) in Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women.\n\nSo far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde,  [according to the WHO](https:\/\/www.who.int\/csr\/don\/21-december-2015-zika-cape-verde\/en\/). No cases have been reported on the African mainland.\n\nChristian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is \"a very interesting theory\" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. \"It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts \\[of the world\\] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak,\" says Lindmeier.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

7 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.3 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.newsweek.com/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230
Last Crawled	2026-04-14 11:36:51 (7 days ago)
First Indexed	2018-07-17 17:32:05 (7 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Exploring Uganda’s Zika Forest, Where the Infamous Virus Was First Identified - Newsweek
Meta Description	Parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus,
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	The Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe. The virus has been linked to a massive Brazil outbreak of microcephaly —a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response. But parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official. The virus was first identified in rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO. Zika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is widely distributed in Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades, the BBC reported . Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region. Yet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. "If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives," says Kalebi. There is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though The Guardian reported that Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. "It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others," says Kalebi. The WHO has warned that the virus is likely to spread throughout North and South America , but could also move to other continents. Thirty-three countries across the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected more than 25,600 people in Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women. So far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde, according to the WHO . No cases have been reported on the African mainland. Christian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is "a very interesting theory" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. "It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts [of the world] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak," says Lindmeier.
Markdown	[iran war live updates Vance Calls Out ‘Economic Terrorism’ as Blockade Starts](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-updates-vance-economic-terrorism-blockade-starts-11824389) - [U.S.](https://www.newsweek.com/us) - [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) - [Politics](https://www.newsweek.com/politics) - [Tech](https://www.newsweek.com/technology) - [Fact Check](https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check) - [Sports](https://www.newsweek.com/sports) - [Global](https://www.newsweek.com/world) - [Russia-Ukraine](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia) - [Middle East](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/middle-east) - [China And Asia](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/china) - [Better Planet](https://www.newsweek.com/better-planet) - [All World News](https://www.newsweek.com/world) - [Lifestyle](https://www.newsweek.com/life) - [Family & Parenting](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/parenting) - [Entertainment](https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment) - [Travel](https://www.newsweek.com/travel) - [Pets](https://www.newsweek.com/pets) - [Automotive](https://www.newsweek.com/autos) - [Relationships](https://www.newsweek.com/relationships) - [Science](https://www.newsweek.com/tech-science) - [Health](https://www.newsweek.com/health) - [Personal Finance](https://www.newsweek.com/personal-finance) - [Better Workplaces](https://www.newsweek.com/better-workplaces) - [Readers Choice](https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice) - [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) - [My Turn](https://www.newsweek.com/my-turn) - [All Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) - [Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/) - [Health](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/health) - [Finance](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/finance) - [Products](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/products-services) - [Education](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/education) - [Workplaces](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/work) - [Corporate Responsibility](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/corporate-responsibility) - [All Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/) - [Social](https://www.newsweek.com/) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Newsweek) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/newsweek) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/newsweek) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@newsweek) - [Twitter/X](https://x.com/newsweek) - [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/newsweek/) - [Extra](https://www.newsweek.com/) - [Newsletters](https://www.newsweek.com/preference-center) - [Newsmakers](https://www.newsweek.com/newsmakers) - [Unconventional](https://www.newsweek.com/unconventional) - [Events](https://events.newsweek.com/) - [Podcasts](https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts) - [Vantage](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/vantage) - [Magazine](https://www.newsweek.com/archive) - [CEO Circle](https://www.newsweek.com/ceo-circle) - [Announcements](https://www.newsweek.com/announcements) - [Leadership](https://www.newsweek.com/leadership) - [Dev Pragad](https://www.newsweek.com/dev-pragad) [Subscribe](https://www.newsweek.com/subscribe) Sign In - U.S. [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news)[Politics](https://www.newsweek.com/politics)[Tech](https://www.newsweek.com/technology)[Fact Check](https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check)[Sports](https://www.newsweek.com/sports) - Global [Russia-Ukraine](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia)[Middle East](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/middle-east)[China And Asia](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/china)[Better Planet](https://www.newsweek.com/better-planet)[All World News](https://www.newsweek.com/world) - Lifestyle [Family & Parenting](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/parenting)[Entertainment](https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment)[Travel](https://www.newsweek.com/travel)[Pets](https://www.newsweek.com/pets)[Automotive](https://www.newsweek.com/autos)[Relationships](https://www.newsweek.com/relationships)[Science](https://www.newsweek.com/tech-science)[Health](https://www.newsweek.com/health)[Personal Finance](https://www.newsweek.com/personal-finance)[Better Workplaces](https://www.newsweek.com/better-workplaces)[Readers Choice](https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice) - Opinion [My Turn](https://www.newsweek.com/my-turn)[All Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) - Rankings [Health](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/health)[Finance](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/finance)[Products](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/products-services)[Education](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/education)[Workplaces](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/work)[Corporate Responsibility](https://rankings.newsweek.com/category/corporate-responsibility)[All Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/) - Social [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Newsweek)[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/newsweek)[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/newsweek)[TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@newsweek)[Twitter/X](https://x.com/newsweek)[Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/newsweek/) - Extra [Newsletters](https://www.newsweek.com/preference-center)[Newsmakers](https://www.newsweek.com/newsmakers)[Unconventional](https://www.newsweek.com/unconventional)[Events](https://events.newsweek.com/)[Podcasts](https://www.newsweek.com/podcasts)[Vantage](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/vantage)[Magazine](https://www.newsweek.com/archive)[CEO Circle](https://www.newsweek.com/ceo-circle)[Announcements](https://www.newsweek.com/announcements)[Leadership](https://www.newsweek.com/leadership)[Dev Pragad](https://www.newsweek.com/dev-pragad) [Science](https://www.newsweek.com/tech-science) [Zika virus](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/zika-virus)[East Africa](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/east-africa)[microcephaly](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/microcephaly)[World health organization](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/world-health-organization) News Article # Exploring Uganda’s Zika Forest, Where the Infamous Virus Was First Identified * Published Feb 11, 2016 at 08:58 AM EST updated Sep 09, 2016 at 01:30 PM EDT A signpost leading to Zika forest in Uganda, January 29. The Zika virus was first discovered in the forest in 1947, but there have been very few confi... Read More \\| ISAAC KASAMANI/AFP/Getty Images By Conor Gaffey Staff Writer 0 Share [Newsweek is a Trust Project member](https://www.newsweek.com/editorial-guidelines) Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. * The Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe. The virus has been linked to a massive [Brazil outbreak of microcephaly](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-related-microcephaly-not-zika-public-health-emergency-international-421812)—a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a [Public Health Emergency of International Concern](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-virus-public-health-emergency-421535) (PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response. But parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official. The virus was [first identified](https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/zika-virus) in rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO. Zika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is [widely distributed](https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata201535?error=cookies_not_supported&code=fa822d31-004c-4d20-9252-817e9a61b2cf) in Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades, [the BBC reported](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-35431181). Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region. Yet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. "If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives," says Kalebi. There is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though [The Guardian reported](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/08/zikas-spread-brazil-continues-but-where-else-danger) that Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. "It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others," says Kalebi. Read More #### Science [Roman Objects Discovered in 2,000-Year-Old Lake](https://www.newsweek.com/roman-objects-discovered-2000-year-old-lake-11820418) [Watch Live: Artemis 2 Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission](https://www.newsweek.com/watch-live-artemis-2-returns-to-earth-after-historic-moon-mission-11812758) [More Related Stories](https://www.newsweek.com/tech-science) The WHO has warned that the virus is likely to [spread throughout North and South America](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-virus-spread-america-united-states-who-paho-419212), but could also move to other continents. [Thirty-three countries](https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11657:global-situation-report-zika-february-5th-2016&Itemid=41716&lang=en) across the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected [more than 25,600 people](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-pregnant-women-colombia-423842) in Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women. So far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde, [according to the WHO](https://www.who.int/csr/don/21-december-2015-zika-cape-verde/en/). No cases have been reported on the African mainland. Christian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is "a very interesting theory" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. "It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts \[of the world\] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak," says Lindmeier. [Request Reprint & Licensing](https://www.newsweek.com/contact) Submit Correction [View Editorial & AI Guidelines](https://www.newsweek.com/editorial-guidelines) * Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. ## Recommended For You [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [France Pulls All Gold Out of US Federal Reserve](https://www.newsweek.com/france-pulls-all-gold-out-of-us-federal-reserve-11792591) 3 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Classic Cars Face Weekday Driving Ban Under New Plan](https://www.newsweek.com/classic-cars-minnesota-weekday-driving-ban-new-plan-11805629) 3 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Americans Urged To Reboot Internet Routers by NSA](https://www.newsweek.com/americans-reboot-internet-routers-nsa-11810909) 6 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Nancy Guthrie Update: Ex-FBI Agent Says Motive For Kidnapping Is ‘Simple’](https://www.newsweek.com/nancy-guthrie-update-ex-fbi-agent-motive-for-kidnapping-simple-11819073) 4 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Suspect in Sam Altman Home Attack Viewed AI as Threat to Humanity](https://www.newsweek.com/suspect-in-sam-altman-home-attack-viewed-ai-as-threat-to-humanity-11822935) 2 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Artemis 2 Audio Released As Crew Reports ‘Falling’ To Moon](https://www.newsweek.com/artemis-2-moon-tracker-launch-mission-audio-11788403) 4 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Pam Bondi Breaks Silence After Sudden Firing](https://www.newsweek.com/pam-bondi-fired-attorney-general-trump-live-updates-11776641) 2 min read [Relationships](https://www.newsweek.com/relationships) [Widow Finds Unopened Card 10 Years After Husband’s Death—Tears Over Note](https://www.newsweek.com/widow-finds-unopened-card-10-years-after-husbands-death-tears-over-note-11819881) 3 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Mystery Over 8 Missing or Dead Experts Linked to UFO Research](https://www.newsweek.com/mystery-over-8-missing-or-dead-experts-linked-to-ufo-research-11792852) 4 min read [Politics](https://www.newsweek.com/politics) [Supreme Court Hands Republicans Election Win](https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-republicans-election-win-ohio-ballot-dispute-11806812) 4 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [7 Most Incredible Photos Captured By Artemis 2](https://www.newsweek.com/7-most-incredible-photos-captured-by-artemis-2-11791771) 4 min read [On the Internet](https://www.newsweek.com/on-the-internet) [Artemis 2 Astronaut Responds To Obama Message—Internet Spots Two Key Words](https://www.newsweek.com/artemis-2-astronaut-responds-obama-message-key-words-11818976) 3 min read [U.S.](https://www.newsweek.com/us) [Map Shows Best And Worst States For Renters](https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-best-and-worst-states-for-renters-11798754) 3 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Iran War Updates: Netanyahu Vows to Keep Striking Hezbollah Despite Ceasefire Strain](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-latest-live-updates-trump-issues-warning-bigger-strikes-strait-hormuz-nuclear-weapons-lebanon-11803200) 2 min read [For Members](https://www.newsweek.com/topic/for-members) [World](https://www.newsweek.com/world) [Exclusive: Cuba’s President Vows to ‘Fight’ if US Launches Military Action](https://www.newsweek.com/miguel-diaz-canel-cuba-president-vows-to-fight-if-us-launches-military-action-11786924) 7 min read ## Conversation Log in \\| Sign up Start a discussion, not a fire. Post with kindness. Read our guidelines [here](https://www.newsweek.com/community-guidelines) ![Jump to log in or sign Up](https://cdn.viafoura.net/assets/defaultavatar.913f94a2fa72a280b0374131f1c9b175.png) All Comments MOST LIKED 0 ### All Comments Start the conversation ## Active Conversations The following is a list of the most commented articles in the last 7 days. - [A trending article titled "JD Vance reacts to Trump’s AI Jesus post and Pope Leo feud backlash" with 26 comments.JD Vance reacts to Trump’s AI Jesus post and Pope Leo feud backlash 26](https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-reacts-to-trumps-ai-jesus-post-and-pope-leo-feud-backlash-11823938?__vfz=medium%3Dconversations_top_pages) - [A trending article titled "Iran war updates: first ships cross Strait testing U.S. blockade" with 17 comments.Iran war updates: first ships cross Strait testing U.S. blockade 17](https://www.newsweek.com/iran-war-updates-vance-economic-terrorism-blockade-starts-11824389?__vfz=medium%3Dconversations_top_pages) Powered by ## Related Podcasts ## Top Stories [Politics](https://www.newsweek.com/politics) [Eric Swalwell’s Downfall Is Bad News for One 2028 Democratic Hopeful](https://www.newsweek.com/eric-swalwells-downfall-is-bad-news-for-one-2028-democratic-hopeful-11821842) 7 min read [World](https://www.newsweek.com/world) [First Tanker Makes It Out of Hormuz Amid US Blockade And It’s A Chinese Ship](https://www.newsweek.com/first-chinese-tanker-makes-it-out-hormuz-amid-us-blockade-11825060) 3 min read [World](https://www.newsweek.com/world) [Putin’s Troops Surrender Position To Robots For First Time: Zelensky](https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-war-latest-putin-troops-surrender-military-robot-first-time-11825010) 3 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [Mark Carney Scores Major Election Victory in Canada](https://www.newsweek.com/mark-carney-scores-major-election-victory-in-canada-11820500) 4 min read [U.S.](https://www.newsweek.com/us) [Elise Stefanik on Campus Antisemitism, Harvard and Higher-Ed Reform](https://www.newsweek.com/elise-stefanik-campus-antisemitism-harvard-higher-ed-reform-11823000) 14 min read [News](https://www.newsweek.com/news) [List of Pro-Trump Christian Leaders Rebuking President](https://www.newsweek.com/list-of-pro-trump-christian-leaders-rebuking-president-11822680) 5 min read [Trending](https://www.newsweek.com/) Donald Trump [Trump Sparks Fury With Image of Himself as Jesus: ‘Antichrist Spirit’](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-sparks-fury-with-image-of-himself-as-jesus-antichrist-spirit-11818578) 7 min read Air quality [Thousands in California Urged To Stay Inside—‘Keep Windows Closed’](https://www.newsweek.com/thousands-california-urged-stay-inside-keep-windows-closed-11818874) 3 min read California [Who Is Eric Swalwell’s Wife, Brittany Watts? What We Know About Family](https://www.newsweek.com/eric-swalwell-wife-brittany-watts-family-kids-resigns-11823524) 5 min read VA [VA Gives Financial Boost To Veterans: What Changes and Who Qualifies](https://www.newsweek.com/va-gives-financial-boost-to-veterans-11815178) 4 min read Golf [Scottie Scheffler Delivers Strong Message on Rory McIlroy After Masters Win](https://www.newsweek.com/sports/golf/scottie-scheffler-delivers-strong-message-on-rory-mcilroy-after-masters-win-11818366) 3 min read [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [The Future is Female: Politics Can’t Function Properly Without Us \\| Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/the-future-is-female-politics-cant-function-properly-without-us-opinion-11812960) 5 min read [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [Yom Hashoah 2026 and The Cold War Roots of Modern Antisemitism \\| Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/yom-hashoah-2026-and-the-cold-war-roots-of-modern-antisemitism-opinion-11811467) 5 min read [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [Deportations Are Putting US Disaster Response at Risk \\| Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/deportations-are-putting-us-disaster-response-at-risk-opinion-11807297) 4 min read [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [Why Cutting Education During Crises Costs More in the Long Run \\| Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/cutting-education-during-crises-costs-more-in-long-run-opinion-11791949) 5 min read [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) [What Afrika Bambaataa Did \\| Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/what-afrika-bambaataa-did-opinion-11810699) 7 min read ### sections - [U.S.](https://www.newsweek.com/us) - [Global](https://www.newsweek.com/world) - [Lifestyle](https://www.newsweek.com/life) - [Health](https://www.newsweek.com/health) - [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) - [Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/) ### company - [About Us](https://www.newsweek.com/about-newsweek) - [Masthead](https://www.newsweek.com/about-newsweek#masthead) - [Careers](https://www.newsweek.com/careers) - [Diversity & Inclusion](https://www.newsweek.com/diversity-report) - [Mission Statement](https://www.newsweek.com/mission-statement) - [Leadership](https://www.newsweek.com/leadership) ### editions - [U.S. Edition](https://www.newsweek.com/) - [日本](https://www.newsweekjapan.jp/) - [Polska](https://www.newsweek.pl/) - [România](https://newsweek.ro/) ### contact - [Advertise](https://advertising.newsweek.com/) - [Corrections](https://www.newsweek.com/corrections) - [Announcements](https://www.newsweek.com/announcements) - [Press Center](https://www.newsweek.com/press-center-image-gallery) - [Contact Us](https://www.newsweek.com/contact) ### terms of use - [Cookie Policy](https://www.newsweek.com/cookie-policy) - [Copyright](https://www.newsweek.com/copyright) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.newsweek.com/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.newsweek.com/terms-service) - [Terms of Sale](https://www.newsweek.com/terms-sale) - Privacy Settings ### sections - [U.S.](https://www.newsweek.com/us) - [Global](https://www.newsweek.com/world) - [Lifestyle](https://www.newsweek.com/life) - [Health](https://www.newsweek.com/health) - [Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/opinion) - [Rankings](https://rankings.newsweek.com/) ### company - [About Us](https://www.newsweek.com/about-newsweek) - [Masthead](https://www.newsweek.com/about-newsweek#masthead) - [Careers](https://www.newsweek.com/careers) - [Diversity & Inclusion](https://www.newsweek.com/diversity-report) - [Mission Statement](https://www.newsweek.com/mission-statement) - [Leadership](https://www.newsweek.com/leadership) ### editions - [U.S. Edition](https://www.newsweek.com/) - [日本](https://www.newsweekjapan.jp/) - [Polska](https://www.newsweek.pl/) - [România](https://newsweek.ro/) ### contact - [Advertise](https://advertising.newsweek.com/) - [Corrections](https://www.newsweek.com/corrections) - [Announcements](https://www.newsweek.com/announcements) - [Press Center](https://www.newsweek.com/press-center-image-gallery) - [Contact Us](https://www.newsweek.com/contact) ### terms of use - [Cookie Policy](https://www.newsweek.com/cookie-policy) - [Copyright](https://www.newsweek.com/copyright) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.newsweek.com/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.newsweek.com/terms-service) - [Terms of Sale](https://www.newsweek.com/terms-sale) - Privacy Settings © 2026 Newsweek Digital LLC ![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6972086&cv=4.4.0&cj=1) ![](https://di.rlcdn.com/api/segment?pid=468096&pdata=prop%3Dnw_site) ![](https://cnv.event.prod.bidr.io/log/cnv?tag_id=177&buzz_key=adprime&value=&segment_key=adprime-3145&account_id=2) 0**
Readable Markdown	The Zika virus currently wreaking havoc in Brazil and Latin America was first discovered more than 5,600 miles away in an overgrown tropical forest near the Ugandan city of Entebbe. The virus has been linked to a massive [Brazil outbreak of microcephaly](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-related-microcephaly-not-zika-public-health-emergency-international-421812)—a condition where children are born with underdeveloped brains and small heads. Between October 2015 and January 2016, more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly were recorded in Brazil, compared to just 147 cases in 2014. The potential link between Zika and microcephaly has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a [Public Health Emergency of International Concern](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-virus-public-health-emergency-421535) (PHEIC)—meaning it poses a global threat and requires an international response. But parts of the population in East Africa, including Uganda and Kenya, could already be immune to the virus, according to a medical expert and WHO official. The virus was [first identified](https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/zika-virus) in rhesus monkeys in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947, before being found in humans in Uganda and Tanzania in 1952. While there is a dearth of research on Zika in Africa, outbreaks of the virus on the continent have previously been recorded, according to the WHO. Zika is transmitted by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which is [widely distributed](https://www.nature.com/articles/sdata201535?error=cookies_not_supported&code=fa822d31-004c-4d20-9252-817e9a61b2cf) in Africa. The mosquito is also a primary vector for several other viral diseases—including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya—that are common across the continent. Despite the presence of the mosquito vector in countries like Kenya and Uganda, only a handful of cases of Zika have been confirmed in recent years. Just two cases have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades, [the BBC reported](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-35431181). Researchers at the Uganda Virus Research Institute—that lies just a few kilometers away from the Zika forest—and the Kenya Medical Research Institute in Nairobi have recently announced separate studies to collect more data on Zika prevalence in the region. Yet the presence of Zika antibodies—proteins in the blood that target and neutralize specific bacteria or viruses—have been recorded in people in Kenya, indicating immunity to the virus, according to Dr Ahmed Kalebi, chief executive of East Africa's branch of the Lancet Group, a pathology research organization. "If people haven't been immunized or vaccinated against Zika but they have antibodies to Zika, it means that the virus must have gotten into them at one time or another in their lives," says Kalebi. There is a lack of research on microcephaly cases in Africa, though [The Guardian reported](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/08/zikas-spread-brazil-continues-but-where-else-danger) that Zika has not been linked to any instances of the condition on the continent. Kalebi says that, while the link between Zika and microcephaly is still unclear, people in East Africa need not be alarmed about the current outbreak. "It might well turn out to be that Zika is just a red herring and there is something else additional to Zika that makes those babies get microcephaly and not others," says Kalebi. The WHO has warned that the virus is likely to [spread throughout North and South America](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-virus-spread-america-united-states-who-paho-419212), but could also move to other continents. [Thirty-three countries](https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11657:global-situation-report-zika-february-5th-2016&Itemid=41716&lang=en) across the Americas so far have reported the presence of the virus in their populations. Besides Brazil, the virus has infected [more than 25,600 people](https://www.newsweek.com/zika-pregnant-women-colombia-423842) in Colombia, with more than 3,100 of them being pregnant women. So far in the current outbreak, the only African country to report Zika cases in any significant number is Cape Verde—a collection of islands in the Atlantic Ocean that lie hundreds of kilometers off the coast of West Africa. Between September and December 2015, more than 4,700 suspected Zika cases were reported in Cape Verde, [according to the WHO](https://www.who.int/csr/don/21-december-2015-zika-cape-verde/en/). No cases have been reported on the African mainland. Christian Lindmeier, the WHO's lead spokesman on the Zika virus, says the idea that people in East Africa could be immune to the disease is "a very interesting theory" but says that a lack of evidence means it cannot be stated definitively. One of the main reasons why Brazil and other Latin American countries are suffering with such an influx of Zika cases, according to Lindmeier, is because the populations had never previously been exposed to the disease, unlike those in East Africa. "It's very possible that parts of Africa or other parts \[of the world\] might already be quite immunized and therefore would not experience the same sort of outbreak," says Lindmeier.
Shard	55 (laksa)
Root Hash	10153935897910600055
Unparsed URL	com,newsweek!www,/could-east-africans-be-immune-zika-425230 s443