First Canadian case of Zika-related anomalies confirmed in a fetus
TORONTO — Canada’s public health agency has confirmed the country’s first case of Zika-related defects in a fetus.
A spokeswoman for the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Friday that the fetus has “severe congenital neurological anomalies,” but didn’t provide further information citing privacy reasons.
Rebecca Gilman said it is Canada’s second case of maternal-to-fetal transmission of the virus, which has been linked to serious birth defects that include microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains to mothers who were infected while pregnant.
Gilman said the first Canadian case of maternal-to-fetus transmission occurred in a baby that was confirmed to have the virus, but did not have related birth defects and so far appears normal.