City health officials have announced that the first baby with a Zika-related birth defect has been born in New York City.
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“We remain concerned about the growing number of pregnant New Yorkers who are still traveling to Zika-affected areas”, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio said in a health department news release. The first Zika-related birth in the Tri-State area occurred at Hackensack University Medical Center in June.
More than 41 pregnant woman was tested positive for Zika as of July 15. They include one in New Jersey. Virtually all of South and Central America and the Caribbean is considered a hotbed for transmission of the virus.
New York City does not have active transmission of the virus yet-meaning that Zika-carrying mosquitoes haven’t yet infiltrated the city-but 346 New Yorkers have been diagnosed as of July 15th, four of whom received it through sexual transmission.
The health commissioner, Dr. Mary T. Bassett, said that the news, though “tragic”, is “not surprising” because so many people travel in and out of NY. “We want to ensure that pregnant women have the information they need to protect their babies, and we strongly recommend that they follow the travel advice and delay travel to countries with Zika”, she said.
A bite from an infected mosquito is, by far, the most common way for the Zika virus to be transmitted.
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The child’s mother was infected with Zika while in an area that is dealing with ongoing Zika transmission, according to the health department.
