Various media sources, such as the New York Times, are reporting that the World Health Organization has declared the Zika virus and its supposed links to birth defects an international public health emergency.
The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and has been linked to cases in more than 20 Latin American countries.
The New York Times noted that Dr. Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization said that Zika virus constitutes "an extraordinary event and a public health threat to other parts of the world."
Chan also said, "International response is needed to minimize the threat in infected countries and reduce risk of international spread."
Shares of Intrexon Corp XON, a company engaged in the field of synthetic biology, were trading higher by more than 10 percent on Monday. The company's subsidiary, Oxitec, is working to control the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil.
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