Health

Five Babies Have Been Born To V.I. Mothers Infected With Zika; D.O.H. Confirms 65 New Cases

ST. THOMAS -- The Department of Health late Tuesday confirmed that of the five babies who have been born to mothers with the Zika virus in the U.S. Virgin Islands, none suffered with microcephaly -- a birth defect causing babies to be born with unusually small heads and brain damage. But the number of pregnant women infected with the virus saw an increase of 13 week-over-week, bringing the total to 61, with 37 said to be confirmed and another 24 in the probable category, meaning D.O.H. is convinced that the women have been infected, but is awaiting more lab results. The increase raises the unwelcome possibility that babies in the territory, as the amount of pregnant women who are infected continue to rise, could suffer with microcephaly, which has also been linked to blindness, deafness, seizures and other congenital defects. The total number of confirmed Zika cases overall surged to 589, with D.O.H. confirming 65 new cases this week. Per island breakdown sees St. Thomas leading with 4...