In the course of one week, the number of suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil has risen by 640, from 1761 to 2401, and appears to be expanding to additional states in the country, the Brazilian Health Ministry reports (computer translated).

Image/Brazil Health Ministry
Image/Brazil Health Ministry

The Secretariat of Health Surveillance (SVS), as of Dec. 12, a total of 2,401 suspected cases of microcephaly related to infection by Zika virus have been identified in 549 municipalities in 20
Brazilian states.

Of the total reported cases, 2,165 are under investigation, 134 were confirmed and 102 were diagnosed discarded for surveillance.

27 fatalities have been reported.

Pernambuco, where they situation was first recognized, still has seen the most cases by far with 920, followed by Paraíba (371) and Bahia (316).

In addition, six more states are reporting suspected cases–Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Pará, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul.

Since late October, the health ministry has sent five technical teams to support field investigations into the situation in different states.

On December 5, 2015, President Dilma Rousseff launched the National Plan to Combat microcephaly. The multi-pronged plans includes  Mobilization and Combatting the Mosquito; Meeting the public; and
Technological Development, Education and Research.

In addition, for pregnant women, the ministry will expand the availability of CT scans and an expansion of treatment services for babies suffering from the malformation.

More research on the Zika virus and the Aedes vector will also be undertaken.

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Public domain image/Deyvid Aleksandr Raffo Setti
Public domain image/Deyvid Aleksandr Raffo Setti