Over the weekend, the number of Zika cases reported by The Department of Health that involve pregnant women in Florida quadrupled. Health experts say that’s not because of an increase in cases, but due to a change in the information the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention is providing.
The agency’s Margaret Honein says the CDC’s website used to include a count of women who have tested positive for the Zika virus and show at least one symptom. Now the information published includes pregnant women who are A-symptomatic
“I think it’s important for us to be very transparent and share that information so that public is aware of how many cases of Zika virus infection there are. But I don’t think they should be alarmed by the change in number because it is a different definition which includes more people,” Honein says.
The information provided about people who are not pregnant has not changed. According to the latest report from the Department of health, officials have confirmed 122 Zika cases in Florida that do not involve pregnant women. Meanwhile 36 pregnant women have been found to have the virus, but not all are showing symptoms. Zika is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted virus that’s linked to severe birth defects.
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