Catalonia confirms first case of Zika-linked microcephaly

Barcelona (CNA).- Catalonia has confirmed the first case of Zika-linked microcephaly. The foetus of a pregnant woman infected by Zika has been detected as suffering from several malformations, amongst them microcephaly. This is the first case of microcephaly confirmed in Catalonia and Spain, and the second in Europe. The woman is not currently in hospital. According to official figures, there are 39 Zika cases in Catalonia: 15 affected men and 24 women. From those women, 4 are pregnant and are taking part in strict medical controls to follow the development of their embryos.

The Health Ministry has said that in the three other cases of pregnant women, the babies are growing without problems and that another woman infected by Zika while she was pregnant recently delivered a perfectly healthy baby.

Up until now, all Zika cases have been imported: that is, people contracted the virus while travelling abroad to those countries where it is more widely spread. The government advises pregnant women to postpone after giving birth any travel to the Caribbean, South America, Central America or Africa.