Puerto Rico sees spike in Zika as it weighs aerial spraying
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico’s health secretary says Zika cases have spiked even as the U.S. territory is considering aerial spraying to fight the mosquito-borne virus.
Ana Rius said Friday that 714 new cases were reported in the past week, for a total of 3,101 cases. Among them are 476 pregnant women and 17 patients with a temporary paralysis condition named Guillain-Barre that has been linked to Zika. The virus also can cause microcephaly, a defect in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and brain damage.
Puerto Rico reported the first microcephaly case acquired on U.S. soil in May. One person also has died.
The island’s governor has not yet decided whether to implement aerial spraying. Activists have held several protests over the proposal amid growing health concerns.
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