Confirmed: 10 babies with microcephaly linked to zika virus

Santo Domingo.- The birth of babies withmicrocephaly (Guillain-Barre Syndrome) suspected of being linked to the zikavirus reached 28, of which 10 are confirmed, while 18 additional cases currentlyawait results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Thus far in 2016, suspected zika cases total5, 216, of which 948 are women in the first six months into pregnancy.

Moreover, 274 cases of Guillain-BarreSyndrome were reported in people with a previous history of symptoms compatiblewith the virus.

The data are contained in a Public Health Ministry bulletin coveringthe week from October 16 to 22, when five suspected cases of zika were reportedin residents of Santiago, Puerto Plata and Greater Santo Domingo.

The report says Greater Santo Domingo, Azua (south)and Bonao (central) are the municipalities with the highest number of suspectedcases in the last four weeks.

To date, 17 countries have reported confirmedcases of congenital syndrome associated with zika infection.