A new method to slash mosquito populations by using radiation to make males infertile could soon be rolled out in Brazil, in an attempt to contain the outbreak of the Zika virus, according to The Independent.

Over 1.5million cases of Zika have been recorded in Brazil since 2014. Most people do not see symptoms, and the one in five who do will experience a relatively mild fever, rash, joint pain and muscle and joint pain, according to the Independent.

However, the World Health Organisation has declared the mosquito-borne condition a global health emergency due to its links to microcephaly, which can cause brain damage in babies and the head to not grow properly.

The UN atomic agency has said that nuclear radiation could be used to tackle the mosquitoes which spread the virus.

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna and Brazilian officials are set to meet in mid-February to discuss how to use the Sterile Insect Technology.

AZERTAC