Dominican Republic confirms 10 cases of Zika virus

The Dominican Republic said on Jan. 23 that it has 10 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the ailment suspected of causing serious birth defects in newborns.

Altagracia Guzman, the Caribbean country's health minister, said lab testing of samples sent to the United States had confirmed Zika in 10 out of 27 suspected cases. 

"In light of this finding, it is imperative to adopt strict measures across the nation to prevent and contain this illness," Guzman was quoted as saying by AFP.

Zika has been linked to a birth defect known as microcephaly, when babies are born with malformed and abnormally small heads. It is also associated with a higher incidence of miscarriages.

Proposed measures to contain the illness include stepped-up mosquito eradication, including eliminating standing water that can be breeding grounds for the insects.

Meanwhile, New York City officials said three people in the city had tested positive for the Zika virus. 

All three had travelled to areas outside the United States where the mosquito-borne ailment is spreading rapidly, the New York State Department of Health said, without specifying where.

Officials said one person has completely recovered, while the others are still getting better.

U.S. health authorities on Jan. 24 expanded a travel warning for pregnant women to avoid 22 places in Latin America and the Caribbean due to the Zika virus.

The scare has struck hardest in Brazil, which hosts the summer Olympic Games in August.

The World Health Organization (WHO) last week noted a surge in cases of microcephaly in Brazil. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said Jan. 22 that there were 3,893 suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil, which included...