A suspected virus, Zika, is the possible cause of at 2400 babies born with brain damage and the deaths of 29. The country last year had only 147 cases.
The virus infected 7500 in Micronesia in 2007, then in 2013, infected 28000 in French Polynesia. In November, it appeared in Mexico. It arrived in Brazil in May, and has been recently detected in Cape Verde, Panama, and the Honduras. Scientists hypothesized, that due to rapid climate change, the mosquitos responsible for the spread of this disease are traveling and breeding in mew areas where they haven’t before. Even worse, because of the World Cup and the Olympics, along with the busy traveling season, the infections spread that much faster.
Other countries that have infections include: Colombia, Suriname, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, and Indonesia.