There were 54 new cases of pregnant women with laboratory evidence of Zika virus in the 50 states and the District of Columbia reported during the week ending Oct. 20 – the largest weekly increase in a month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The number of cases reported in the U.S. territories, 100, was lower for the second week in a row, however, so the U.S. total for the week was a fairly average 154. The total number of pregnant women with laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection is now 2,980 for the year: 953 in the states/D.C. and 2,027 in the territories, the CDC reported.
Among all Americans, the number of cases for 2015-2016 is now up to 32,814, with 1,396 new cases reported for the week ending Oct. 26: 75 in the states/D.C. and 1,321 in the territories. Almost all (98%) of the territorial cases have occurred in Puerto Rico, which continues to retroactively report cases, the CDC Arboviral Disease Branch noted.
Zika-related birth defects reported 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.
The pregnancy-related figures for states, territories, and D.C. reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.