A woman from the U.S. who had traveled to Latin America during her pregnancy gave birth to a girl with Zika-related microcephaly in Texas, and the baby died shortly after her birth, the Texas health department announced Tuesday. It is the first Zika-related death in the state and the second in the nation.
The incident occurred in Harris County, which includes Houston. In July, health officials confirmed the state's first case of Zika-related microcephaly, which also occurred in a Harris County infant.
"Zika's impact on unborn babies can be tragic, and our hearts are with this family," said John Hellerstedt, MD, Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner. "Our central mission from the beginning has been to do everything we can to protect unborn babies from the devastating effects of Zika."
As of July 28, the CDC has reported evidence of Zika infection in 497 pregnant women. Zika infections have resulted in the birth of 15 babies with congenital birth defects in the U.S. Additionally, six pregnancies have either been lost or terminated due to Zika-related complications.
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