Puerto Rican woman with Zika gives birth to healthy baby

HEALTH

Puerto Rican woman with Zika gives birth to healthy baby

The Associated Press Published Thursday, March 17, 2016 11:30AM EDT

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Officials in Puerto Rico say the first pregnant woman on the island infected with Zika has given birth to a healthy baby.

Health Department spokeswoman Jillian Oliveras said Thursday that both are in good health. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with unusually small heads.

There are 21 pregnant women in the U.S. territory with Zika. Puerto Rico has a total of 201 confirmed cases of the virus, and authorities say the island could face an epidemic. Six people have been hospitalized, and one is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a paralyzing condition that also may be linked to Zika.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has requested at least $225 million in federal funds to fight Zika in Puerto Rico.