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Brazil to adopt WHO standards to determine cases of microcephaly

Xinhua, March 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Brazil will adopt the World Health Organization (WHO) standards from the next week to determine if a baby has microcephaly, the Brazilian Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

In Brazil, if the circumference of a baby's head is equal or inferior to 32cm, it is determined to be a case of microcephaly. However, after the WHO made new recommendations in February, the criteria will change to 31.9cm for boys and 31.5cm for girls.

In a press conference, the coordinator of responses to public health emergencies, Wanderson Oliveira, said that all state secretaries of health had been informed of the new criteria, which will allow data to be compared with that of other countries.

According to a new report by the ministry, by March 5, 4,231 suspected cases of microcephaly has been under investigation, with 745 having been confirmed and 1,182 eliminated.

Furthermore, 157 deaths of fetuses and babies with suspected microcephaly have been registered, either during pregnancy or birth.

Of these confirmed cases, 88 have been confirmed as having the Zika virus, but authorities believe it is the cause of the most cases of microcephaly. Other causes could be syphilis, toxoplasmosis, rubella, herpes and cytomegalovirus.

Health Minister Marcelo Castro said it it prudent to follow the WHO recommendation that pregnant women avoid travelling to areas affected by Zika. Endit