Zika Fears Dominate Puerto Rico and Haiti

Thirteen dead babies belonging to Zika-infected mothers have been identified in Puerto Rico.

Several of them presented signs of brain damage, and one was sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention in Atlanta to be analyzed, according to Health Secretary Ana Rius.

Puerto Rico reported the first Zika case acquired on U.S. soil in May.

Puerto Rico has a total of 17,871 Zika cases, including 1,517 pregnant women. A total of 144 people have been hospitalized, including 45 diagnosed with a temporary paralysis condition known as Guillain-Barre.

The island's Health Department is currently identifying how many medical specialists there are and where they are located as it prepares for a surge in cases, reported Dr. Miguel Valencia Prado, director of the department's Division of Children with Special Medical Needs.

Haiti has all of the ingredients for widespread transmission of Zika.

The mosquito that carries the virus flourishes in Haiti's tropical heat. As the outbreak wanes in Brazil and Colombia, the Caribbean is currently the epicenter of Zika transmission.

Yet as of August, Haiti had confirmed only five cases to the World Health Organization.

On the island of Haiti, it can take all day for a patient to see a doctor, so most people don't come to health facilities unless they are extremely ill.

But if they're pregnant and have Zika, the virus could still pose a threat to their baby. Many people who get infected with Zika have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.