The baby girl, who died shortly after birth, had microcephaly and other defects associated with the mosquito-borne virus that is raising alarms in Florida, the only US state where the virus has been confirmed to have been passed locally rather than imported from people who picked it up while traveling overseas.
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Florida now has 21 people who contracted the virus locally.
The Wynwood neighborhood is just north of downtown Miami and is a popular restaurant and entertainment district.
Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health, said in a news release that the saddest outcome of Zika’s health effects often impact the most vulnerable. There have been no reported cases of Zika virus disease transmitted by mosquitoes in Texas, but the state is on alert for the possibility of local transmission. Brazil, where the Zika virus appeared previous year, has confirmed more than 1,500 cases of microcephaly related to the Zika virus since October 2015.
Houston health officials said there is no evidence of Zika in local mosquitoes.
“This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida, this is a national issue”, said governor Rick Scott, describing the baby’s death in Texas as “a heartbreaking tragedy in our country”.
Over the weekend, Texas Governer Greg Abbott detailed measures the state has taken to fund the prevention of the spreading of Zika, but said it is prepared to fight the virus should it become prevalent in the state. This is a travel-associated case, we know that prevention is key to reducing the risk of Zika virus infection.
A statement from the Harris County health department said the baby’s mother had traveled to Latin America during her pregnancy and was suspected of having been infected on her trip. “The count includes three pregnant women, two infants infected before birth, and one person who had sexual contact with a traveler”, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) said the baby, a girl, had birth defects including microcephaly. He added that the department’s top mission is to do everything it can to protect unborn babies from the devastating effects of the virus. “There are some cases throughout the state of Texas, but it’s stronger in the South Texas region from Brownsville all the way to Laredo and El Paso as well”. The infection contracted by the mother and the baby is categorized as a travel-related case.
The Cayman Islands have identified their first locally transmitted Zika virus case, in a man from George Town who became ill on Jul 25, according to a statement today from the territory’s Health Services Authority.
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ALSO READ: Zika Vaccine Found? It is the first Zika-related death reported in Texas. In June, the poll revealed that 67% of respondents were “not too” or “not at all” anxious about Zika virus, but that number fell slightly to 65% in the most recent poll.
