The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Zika virus, with its suspected link to microcephaly, an international public health emergency. After the virus broke out in Brazil in 2015, it has been spreading explosively, reaching 20 countries since then, and it is suspected that it may affect up to four million people in the next year. The symptoms of infection by this particular virus are normally mild. However, the global alert is prompted by the virus’ suspected link with paralysis and birth defects. Since the outbreak, Brazil has seen a colossal rise from 163 a year to more than 3,718 suspected cases in the number of babies being born with a particular defect, microcephaly, which involves stunted development causing an abnormally small head and brain, or otherwise death with 68 infants’ deaths so far. The link between the virus and the brain disease is uncertain and is being researched. The potential threat has prompted various governments to urge women to reconsider travelling to countries with an active Zika outbreak, which includes many of the South American countries. And in many countries within this region, the government has urged women to avoid getting pregnant. Detecting whether or not a women has been infected, and subsequently, if her unborn child has contracted the defect is extremely difficult, causing anxiety, especialluy considering abortion is illegal in many of the affected countries. The virus is considered to be transferred predominantly through mosquitos. Besides means of extermination, research is also being carried out for the elimination of the root cause. To prevent mosquitos transmitting the virus to human beings, genetically modified mosquitos are being introduced into the existing populations to prevent the virus developing, a technique already in use against dengue. A cure for the virus currently does not exist, and some estimate it will take at least three years to find one, while a vaccine may not be available until a decade. The sudden affliction that has seized the Americas has certainly caused fear and consternation among people and put the administrators and health apparatus in disarray as they struggle to find solutions. This is reflected in feeble strategies such as the suggestion to women to not get pregnant until two years or whenever the threat abates. Research is also lacking. However, as panic spreads, there is a need to rethink certain pre-existing regulations, the first alteration being to allow women to make the choice of abortion. While the debate asserting women’s rights to their own bodies stands firm in any case, it is most apt here, since being forced to inflict a psychological and physical strain on one’s self in the face of this threat is nothing short of cruelty. In today’s deeply interconnected world, any epidemic has the potential to burgeon into a global catastrophe, yet there appears to be no single absolute authority capable of entirely countering such pandemics. Instead of nation-states individually seeking to cope, there needs to be one powerful organisation capable of implementing widespread immediate measures, given the potential pandemics we face.