Health officials in Puerto Rico reported the island’s first case of Zika, a mosquito-borne virus recently linked to the rise of a serious neurological disorder among newborns in Brazil.
Health authorities in Brazil are advising families to postpone pregnancy due to Zika, which is linked to a neurological disorder called microcephaly in new born babies that can lead to incomplete brain development.
Babies affected with microcephaly are born with much smaller heads. They often experience developmental issues, sometimes leading to early death.
Puerto Rico said there was no reason for alarm, and that the public should continue to avoid mosquito bites by using various measures.
Zika fever was discovered in Uganda in the 1940s and has since spread to various parts of Africa, South Pacific and Asia. It is believed to have come to Latin America with tourists who visited during the 2014 World Cup.
Jean G. Thomas
