PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten has registered its first birth of an infant that was born with what is believed to be microcephaly. A young mother gave birth to the child on Saturday at the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).According to information reaching SMN News is that this is the first child for the young mother.
Up to Sunday midday, the medical institution did not release any information on the birth of the baby whose mother was infected with the Zika virus during the early stages of her pregnancy.
SMN News learned on Sunday that since the birth of the child medical staff at SMMC are very concerned that there is not enough public awareness done on the effects of Zika and other mosquito borne diseases. According to the persons that contacted SMN News on Sunday stated that the Ministry of Public Health namely CPS has to do much more to eradicate mosquito and its breathing sites on St. Maarten.
Microcephaly is a birth defect where the baby head is smaller than expected when compared to babies of same sex and age. Babies with microcephaly often have smaller brains that might not have developed properly.
For more information on Microcephaly and its effect: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/microcephaly.html
