This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Death of newborn in Texas linked to Zika
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
The death of a newborn infant in Texas has been linked to Zika virus infection, health officials said. It is the second Zika-related death reported so far in the continental United States.
According to a statement from Harris County Public Health (HCPH), the female child died shortly after being born with birth defects, including microcephaly. A test confirmed Zika infection.
HCPH said the infant’s mother was likely infected while traveling to Latin America during her pregnancy. She gave birth in Harris County, which encompasses Houston.
“Despite the horrible news regarding the recent Zika-related death, the residents of Harris County should be reassured that their county and state officials are continuing to monitor Zika-related developments worldwide and have plans in place to respond to any potential risks to public health,” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, a member of the Texas state task force on infectious disease preparedness and response, said in a statement.
“County health officials and emergency management personnel have been studying Zika intently and are prepared to respond to any local developments.”
In July, officials in Utah reported the first Zika-related death in the continental U.S. in an elderly patient with underlying health conditions who had traveled to a country where the virus was being transmitted.
Both deaths were a result of travel-related infections. The CDC recently warned pregnant women to avoid an area of Miami where it believes Zika is being transmitted locally by mosquitoes.
Zika virus is primarily spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, but also can be transmitted sexually by both men and women. – by Gerard Gallagher