1st Puerto Rico woman with Zika gives birth to healthy baby

Officials in Puerto Rico say the first pregnant woman on the island infected with Zika has given birth to a healthy baby.

Health Department spokeswoman Jillian Oliveras said Thursday that both are in good health. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with unusually small heads.

There are 21 in the U.S. territory with Zika. Puerto Rico has a total of 201 confirmed cases of the virus, and authorities say the island could face an epidemic. Six people have been hospitalized, and one is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralyzing condition that also may be linked to Zika.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested at least $225 million in federal funds to fight Zika in Puerto Rico.

© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: 1st Puerto Rico woman with Zika gives birth to healthy baby (2016, March 17) retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-1st-puerto-rico-woman-zika.html
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