In this Feb. 12, 2016 photo, Lara, who is just under 3- months-old and was born with microcephaly, is examined by a neurologist at the Pedro I hospital in Campina Grande in Paraiba state, Brazil. Paraiba and Pernambuco in Brazilís impoverished northeast are ground zero for the Zika epidemic. Since Zika was first detected in Brazil, the two states have accounted for almost half of the 6,158 reported cases of babies born with shrunken heads, a rare condition known as microcephaly. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Nov 06 2016 – Trinidad and Tobago has recorded its first confirmed case of a baby girl born with microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus in the country.
This was revealed by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh during a news conference at the Ministry of Health Office, in Port of Spain last week.
He said there were l0 to 12 babies born with microcephaly each year in Trinidad but this was the first confirmed case attributed to Zika.
Blood samples taken from the baby were sent to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for confirmation a few weeks ago.
The baby was delivered at a private hospital in San Fernando then transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
He said due to the family insistence they wanted the baby at home with them.
