France Reports First Zika-related Death In Martinique
France has reported its first Zika-related death in its Carribean island of Martinique. The announcement came from the regional health agency.
According to reports, the 84-year-old deceased was hospitalized 10 days ago and was kept in the intensive care unit. The patient was initially reported to have the Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). However, the Zika link was uncovered at the end of last week only.
The death of the patient has reignited the initial debate between the health experts about whether Zika and GBS are related. Some researchers believe that there could be a link between the two conditions and that Zika infection lead to circumstances that make the immune system attack the nervous system of the patient suffering, which is the case with GBS.
According to a regional French health authority, the doctor tests have found that "the death is directly linked to Zika with Guillain-Barre Syndrome associated with Zika as the initial cause." This is the first case of Zika-related death in Martinique since the start of the Zika virus outbreak, which was first reported in Brazil.
Prior to the death of the patient, the French Caribbean overseas department has announced the names of at least 19 patients, who suffered from GBS linked with Zika, as has paralysis-causing myelitis. So far in Guadeloupe and French Guyana, a number of cases of Zika infection have been brought to the notice of the health officials from assumed cases of GBS.
Zika infection has also been linked to the increase in the cases of microcephaly, a neurological birth defect. The link was not proved for months, however, now the researchers even know the mechanism by which Zika virus infects the growing fetus inside the womb of the mother.
According to the World Health Organization, Zika transmission has been confirmed in more than 40 countries and territories so far since its outbreak in Brazil. According to the UN health agency, there are strong evidences that suggest that Zika can also cause GBS.
