A man stricken with Zika-related paralysis has died in Puerto Rico. It is the first case of Zika-related death due to paralysis in the territory, according to state epidemiologist Brenda Rivera-Garcia.
The victim — a man between 35 and 45 — was afflicted with Guillain-Barré syndrome, which has been linked to the Zika virus. Guillain-Barré causes the immune system to attack the nervous system, which results in rapid-onset muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
According to an Associated Press report relayed by The Guardian, Dr. Rivera-Garcia said it was unusual that the victim was so young. "What does this tell us?" said Dr. Rivera-Garcia. "That all of us are susceptible?"
As of Aug. 17, more than 8,000 people in U.S. territories have been infected with the Zika virus. Among the states, there have been more than 2,200 people infected.
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