Three new cases of infants born with Zika virus–related birth defects were reported in the United States for the week ending July 14, 2016, along with 129 new infections in pregnant women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The three infants were born in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with no new pregnancy losses reported in the states or U.S. territories. Totals for the year are 12 infants with birth defects, all in the states, and seven pregnancy losses, of which six occurred in the states, the CDC reported July 21. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children.
Of the 129 new infections in pregnant women for the week, 54 occurred in the states and 75 occurred in the U.S. territories. Those new cases bring the U.S. total to 778 for the year: 400 in the states and 378 in territories, the CDC also reported on July 21.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
