#11,419
The weekly Brazilian MOH Microcephaly report is out, and the number of suspected cases under investigation has increased by 100, while the total number of confirmed microcephaly cases has increased by 55.
Both numbers are well below the weekly numbers we were seeing added only a couple of months ago.
Upon further investigation, another 140 have been discarded as not meeting the criteria for microcephaly, leaving the total remaining under investigation at 3162.
Microcephaly is the most apparent congenital defect at birth, but we've been warned by the CDC, NIH, and WHO that maternal Zika infection may produce other, less obvious neurological deficits in developing fetuses, and they may not become apparent until the child is much older.
This (translated) report from the Brazilian MOH.
REPORT CARD
Since the beginning of the investigation, in October 2015, 7,723 suspected cases were reported, of which 3,072 were discarded and 3,162 remain in research
The new epidemiological report released, on Wednesday (1), the Ministry of Health confirmed 1,489 cases of microcephaly and other nervous system disorders, suggestive of congenital infection throughout the country. The new report refers to the epidemiological week No. 20, which corresponds to the 28th of May. The report gathers information sent weekly by state health departments.
In total, they reported 7,723 suspected cases since the beginning of the investigation, in October 2015, and 3,162 remain under investigation. Other 3,072 were discarded because of normal tests, or because they have microcephaly and or malformations confirmed because no infectious or do not meet the case definition. The 1,489 confirmed cases in Brazil occurred in 539 municipalities located in 25 states of the federation. Of these cases, 223 were confirmed by specific laboratory criteria for Zika virus.
The Ministry of Health, however, points out that this figure does not represent adequately the total number of cases related to the virus. The folder considers that there was infection Zika most of the mothers who had babies with a final diagnosis of microcephaly. In relation to deaths in the same period, there were 294 suspected deaths of microcephaly and / or alteration of the central nervous system after delivery or during pregnancy (miscarriage or stillbirth) in the country. Of these, 63 were confirmed to microcephaly and / or alteration of the central nervous system. Other 192 are still under investigation and 39 were discarded.
The Ministry of Health says it is investigating all cases of microcephaly and other disorders of the central nervous system, informed by the states, and the possible relationship with the Zika virus and other congenital infections. Microcephaly may be caused by , various infectious agents beyond Zika as Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Other Infectious Agents, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Viral.
