The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has urged pregnant women not to travel to countries that have reported cases of the Zika virus, an untreatable, mosquito-borne disease.
The Zika virus has recently been linked to a neurological disorder that causes babies to be born with small craniums and limited brain development, a condition called microcephaly.
In 2014, there were 146 cases of microcephaly in Brazil. In 2015, the rate of babies born with microcephaly grew to be 20 times the normal rate.
Since the outbreak of the Zika virus in April 2015, there have been close to 4,000 cases in newborn babies from women who were infected during their pregnancy.
The Zika virus is transmitted through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and the symptoms — which include a low-grade fever, small rashes, joint pains, and red eye — are relatively mild, which is why it did not cause much alarm when the outbreak started in Brazil early last year.
Below are shocking images of the birth defect caused by the Zika virus.
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As of right now, there's no treatment for the Zika virus, which is why the CDC is urging pregnant women to avoid traveling to countries where the virus is growing in strength. Labs are currently doing studies to find more answers.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of the Zika virus, can be found in 23 countries in South America and Central America, as well as some parts of the US, such as Florida.
The outbreak started in Brazil. The country reported their first case of the Zika virus in April 2015 and have since reported the highest number of cases.
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