Zika-carrying mosquitoes started to proliferate in Brazil, driving worldwide medical organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), release travel bans.
Despite preventive measures, the virus managed to spread out around the world, including in countries such as the United States. In the New York tri-state area, the first baby with Zika-related microcephaly was born.
The baby girl was born in New Jersey last May 31 at the Hackensack University Medical Cente. According to the doctors, the baby is clearly showing signs of Zika-related microcephaly.
"The mother is stable, obviously sad, which is the normal emotional reaction given the situation," said Dr. Abdulla Al-Khan, director of maternal and fetal medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center in an interview with CNN.
The mother, who refused to be named, was infected by Zika while in Honduras. She arrived in the U.S. about a month ago. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), microcephaly is a birth defect where a baby's head and the brain are smaller than usual, possibly due to underdevelopment.
CDC said that microcephaly is a lifelong condition which can cause other complications for the baby including seizures, developmental delay, intellectual disability, hearing loss and vision problems.
The mother was admitted on May 27 and an emergency caesarean section was performed to deliver the baby girl who was born with apparent intestinal and visual problems, according to a report by FOX News.
Currently, there is still no known vaccine to combat the Zika-virus. CDC and WHO are still adamant on reminding pregnant mothers to avoid traveling to areas where Zika-carrying mosquitoes are present.