Trinidad reports nearly 800 cases of Zika
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Health authorities in Trinidad are reporting more than 400 confirmed cases of pregnant women suffering from the mosquito-borne Zika virus.
The Ministry of Health said that since the virus was first reported here in February last year, there has been 718 cases with 463 confirmed cases noted in pregnancy.
So far this year, there have been four confirmed births of babies with microcephaly, a rare neurological condition in which an infant’s head is significantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age and sex.
The ministry said that of the four cases, two of the mothers tested positive for the Zika virus during the course of their pregnancy.
The ministry said it is now awaiting the test results to determine the cause of the other two cases of microcephaly in keeping with expected international rates of Zika related complications.
The Ministry of Health said that it is maintaining close communication with the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services to ensure that assistance, as required, is made available to the babies and families affected by the disease, in accordance with established policy.
“All cases of microcephaly are treated with the utmost confidentiality and sensitivity by the Ministry of Health and the Regional Health Authorities. It is expected that the privacy of the affected families will be respected at this time,” the ministry added.