Cayman Islands reports first locally transmitted Zika case: government

[August 09, 2016]  GEORGE TOWN (Reuters) - The first locally contracted case of the Zika virus has been confirmed in the Cayman Islands, the Caribbean nation's health department said.

The patient, a man, reported the first symptoms in late July and a sample was sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for testing. He had not traveled to any countries in which Zika is present, the department said in a statement late on Monday.

Health authorities say infection with the Zika virus in pregnant women can cause the birth defect microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in babies.

(Reporting by Peter Polack in George Town; editing by John Stonestreet)

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