Thailand reported the birth of the first two babies suffering from Zika-related microcephaly, the first of such births in Asia, according to a CNN report.
Earlier this week, Thailand health officials were investigating four possible cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in three babies and a 36-week old unborn child. Two of the four babies being examined now have confirmed microcephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is smaller than expected, potentially with smaller brains that might not have developed properly, according to the CDC.
Approximately 30 pregnant women have tested positive for Zika in Thailand, of which eight women gave birth to babies without any defects. According to Prasert Thongcharoen, adviser to the Thailand Disease Control Department, officials have conducted Zika screenings regularly in Thailand, with more than 10,000 people tested this year and 300 Zika cases identified..
Other countries in Asia have also reported Zika transmission, including Singapore and Malaysia.
Around 800 pregnant women in the United States have reported lab evidence of Zika virus infection, as of Sept. 22, the CDC reports.