The Secretariat of Health Surveillance (SVS) of the Brazil Ministry of Health now puts the total suspected cases of microcephaly at 1,761 identified in 422 municipalities in 14 Brazilian states.

Image/Brazil Ministry of Health
Image/Brazil Ministry of Health

In addition, 19 fatalities have been reported. Rio Grande do Norte has seen the most deaths at 7.

1,696 cases were reported from the northeast with Pernambuco, Paraíba  and Bahia reporting the most with 804, 316 and 180 cases, respectively.

In addition, cases have been reported from the North (Tocantins), the southeast (Rio de Janeiro) and the Midwest (Distrito Federal, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul).

The SVS announced today the publication of a protocol on the Zika virus related microcephaly. The document aims to support health professionals and technical health surveillance of areas with general information, specific guidelines and directives related to the surveillance activities of the occurrence of microcephaly nationwide.

Highlighted in the document include the following:
1. Possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
2. Fetal CNS changes with possibly related Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
3. Miscarriage due to possible association with Zika virus infection during pregnancy.
4. Stillborn due to possible infection during pregnancy Zika virus.
5. Newborn live with microcephaly possibly associated with infection Zika virus during pregnancy.