Health

Over 1,000 Zika Cases Have Been Reported In VI; Confirmed Cases Rise To 365; 33 Pregnant Women Test Positive

ST. THOMAS -- Since the Virgin Islands Department of Health began reporting the spread of the Zika virus in the territory, there have been 1,060 cases reported so far, of which 365 cases, according to D.O.H.'s latest report, have tested positive. Zika, which has been linked to unusually small heads and brain damage — called microcephaly — in children born to infected mothers, as well as blindness, deafness, seizures and other congenital defects -- has infected 33 pregnant U.S. Virgin Islands women to date, with another 7 cases said to be probable, meaning those women are most likely infected, but D.O.H. is waiting on more lab results for absolute certainty. When the disease first started affecting the territory, St. Croix saw the bulk of the cases, but the trend took a turn early July, when St. Thomas numbers suddenly saw drastic increases. Now, this island accounts for a majority of the confirmed cases with 300, followed by St. Croix with 52, and St. John with 13, bringing the to...