Troops deployed in Brazil to warn about Zika virus risks

Over 200,000 soldiers have been deployed across Brazil to warn people about the risks of the Zika virus, international media report.

Brazil, at the centre of an outbreak of the virus, has also seen a surge of babies being born with microcephaly, a condition that causes underdeveloped brains and developmental problems.

The country has 462 confirmed cases of microcephaly, and it is investigating another 3,852 suspected cases. The BBC adds that the microcephaly cases have been centred in north-east Brazil, but the Zika outbreak has affected people in more than 20 countries in the Americas, with Colombia saying on Saturday that 5,013 pregnant women were infected - out of a total of 31,555 cases.

Some governments have even advised women to delay getting pregnant, and already-pregnant women have been advised not to travel to the countries affected.

Brazilian troops are going door to door, handing out four million leaflets advising people about the risks of the virus which is carried by mosquitoes.

President Dilma Rousseff said the crisis would not "compromise" the Olympics Brazil is hosting in August, with critics saying that rather than boosting morale, the move would not help reduce mosquito numbers or stop the spread of Zika.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency over the possible connection between Zika and microcephaly, even though the link with Zika has not been confirmed.

On Friday, the WHO said it expected that a link would be established within weeks between Zika, microcephaly and another neurological disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome.