The parents of the first baby to be born in Europe with the Zika virus were “very excited” at the birth, say doctors.His mother became infected during a trip to Latin America, where the disease is raging, although doctors will not reveal the country. The boy, who microephaly, an abnormally small head caused by the disease, was born at the Vall d’Hebron hospital in Barcelona.
Neonatal chief Felix Castillo said: “The baby did not require any resuscitation.“Its head circumference is smaller than normal and it has microcephaly. The baby’s vital signs were normal and stable.”The mum was 20 weeks into her pregnancy when she was diagnosed with the virus – along with dengue.But she and the boy’s dad, who have not been identified, were determined to keep the child.In fact head of obstetrics at the hospital Elena Carrera declared the couple were “very excited”.
The mum had the baby via caesarean 40 weeks into her pregnancy. A woman in Slovenia was carrying a tot with microcephaly but she had an abortion.Zika is a virus mainly spread by mosquitoes. For most people it is a very mild infection and isn’t harmful, but it has been linked to birth defects.