With the number of new Zika cases growing by the minute, the World Health Organization (WHO) struggles with lack of cash. The efforts to battle the outbreak that has ravaged the Latin America and the Caribbean is hindered because the funding it expected did not materialize, officials said.

Amid the Zika virus outbreak, WHO asked for $25 million for its own efforts alone to fight Zika during the first months of the year. The agency, however, received only $3 million of the total $56 million needed from its member countries.

The other $31 million is allotted to other groups that are working to curb the outbreak that has been linked to the boom of microcephaly cases.

A Disease With Severe Public Health Implications

"The more we know, the worse things look," WHO chief Margaret Chan said.

"In less than a year the status of Zika has changed from a mild medical curiosity to a disease with severe public health implications," she added.

As the Zika virus outbreak expands to other countries, the number of suspected and confirmed cases of microcephaly increased dramatically in the last week through March 19. The previous week, the cases reported were just 5,131 but it increased to 5,200.

The number of confirmed cases increased from 863 the previous week to 907 while suspected cases jumped to 4,293 from 4,268 in the same week.

The rare birth defect characterized by babies being born with abnormally small heads with accompanying brain damage. Aside from microcephaly, the virus has been linked to a neurological defect that causes paralysis, called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

WHO's Response

WHO has conducted seven international meetings since the outbreak has been dubbed as an public health emergency on February 1. These meetings gather advice on the best ways to respond to the situation.

WHO and its partners discussed on new tools for mosquito control and the management of the two complications linked to the mosquito-borne illness, microcephaly and GBS.

WHO, however, stressed that the most important thing that needs urgent attention is the development of a diagnostic test that can rapidly detect Zika virus. With immediate diagnosis, people infected, especially pregnant women, could receive urgent medical attention to at least reduce the complications brought about by the robust virus.

As of the moment, the agency said that there are more than 30 companies that are working on potential new diagnostic tests. Vaccines are also being developed by 14 vaccine manufacturers and developers in France, Brazil, Austria, India and the United States.

Circulating In 38 Countries

The virus has spread to a total of 38 countries and territories.

"On present knowledge, no one can predict whether the virus will spread to other parts of the world and cause a similar pattern of fetal malformations and neurological disorders. If this pattern is confirmed beyond Latin America and the Caribbean, the world will face a severe public health crisis," Chan said.

Latin America and the Caribbean has been impacted the most by the virus since the first reports of cases in 2015.