UN response to the Zika virus

Zika virus, a rare tropical mosquito-borne disease, is spreading rapidly in several parts of Latin America and the Caribbean. More than one million infections have occurred since the first outbreak in Brazil.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have developed a nuclear system that controls pests by sterilizing male mosquitoes with radiation. Known as the Sterile Insect Technique, or SIT, it is an effective, safe, and environmentally friendly technique for controlling pests and combating diseases such as Zika.