Brazil confirms over 2,000 zika-related microcephaly cases in one year

Brazil confirms over 2,000 zika-related microcephaly cases in one year

Saturday, October 15, 2016 5:47 pm


A baby born with defect, caused by zika virus spread by mosquito

A baby born with defect, caused by zika virus spread by mosquito

Brazil’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that 2,033 zika-related microcephaly cases have been confirmed in the country, one year after it was first reported.

In 381 cases, the infection by zika was already confirmed by lab tests.

Besides the two thousand cases of microcephaly already confirmed by authorities, other 3,055 cases are still under investigation.

In one year, 486 deaths were suspected to be related to microcephaly caused by infection by zika virus during pregnancy.

Out of those, 170 have been confirmed as microcephaly cases so far.

The confirmed cases occurred in 688 towns in all Brazilian states, which means the zika virus reached all Brazil’s regions.

So far, the northeastern state of Pernambuco, where the relation between zika infection and microcephaly was first reported, has the most confirmed cases: 389.

In addition, Bahia and Paraiba states, also located in the northeastern region, followed Pernambuco, with 319 and 181 cases, respectively.

Report says microcephaly cases have been reported in several other countries around the globe, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) believes cases will reach Asia as well.


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