California: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it is investigating 14 new reports of Zika virus infection in the United States, all suspected to be sexually transmitted.
The Atlanta-based CDC made the announcement Tuesday and said all of the 14 cases are women whose only known risk factor is sexual contact with a male partner who had recently traveled to an area with local Zika transmissions.
In its statement, the CDC said the new reports suggest that sexual transmission may be a more likely means of Zika transmission that previously thought.
Zika virus has been linked to a birth defect known as microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and can suffer developmental delays. Scientists have not yet proven a definite cause-and-effect.
