The World Bank says it is making $US150 million ($A209.25 million) in financing immediately available to help combat the Zika virus outbreak in affected Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The multilateral lender said in a statement that it stands ready to increase its support if needed, and the initial amount is based on current demands from the affected countries and assessments from teams of experts sent there.
The World Bank also released initial projections for the economic impact of the largely mosquito-borne virus, saying it expects it to reduce the region's 2016 economic output by $US3.5 billion, or 0.06 per cent of gross domestic product.
The bank estimates that governments in the region would lose a combined $US420 million in fiscal revenues this year due to the virus.
Mexico and Cuba would take the worst hits by dollar value this year, it said, reducing their GDP by $US744 million and $US664 million, respectively, as it expects the virus to cause a drop-off in Caribbean tourism.
Belize would lose the biggest percentage of GDP, a drop of 1.22 per cent, while several Caribbean island nations would see drops of similar size.
Brazil, which has had the most Zika virus cases reported, is projected to lose $US310 million, or just 0.01 per cent of its GDP - less than the Dominican Republic, the World Bank said.
The bank's economic forecasts, however, assume that the international response to the Zika outbreak will be swift and well-coordinated and that the most significant health risks are for pregnant women.
The World Health Organization has cited a "strongly suspected" relationship between Zika infection in pregnancy and microcephaly, a condition in newborns marked by abnormally small heads and brains that have not developed properly.
The WHO declared the outbreak a global public health emergency on February 1.
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