cases of microcephali are studied to see if it was caused by zika. micro-sev alley is a -- micro-sev alley is a condition where babies are born with smaller brains. there are professionals saying heightened awareness may have led to cases of microcephali being reported that would not have been. that echos the brazilian government figures showing 270 of 750 original suspected microcephali cases have been confirmed. 462 have been rejected as false diagnosis. i had a chance to talk to a doctor, a paediatrician at imperial college london, who told me scientists are not sure whether the virus causes microcephali. >> what we know is that there seems to be an increased incidence of microcephali in brazil, and there's a possible link to the appearance of zika virus in brazil at the same time. there's no definitive relationship at the moment between zika virus and microselfally. >> when will we know. >> there needs to be further studies to determine that. we can't put a time line on when we'll know that. there needs to be animal studies, and seeing what happe

receiving babies with microcephaly. doctors are treating them and looking for signs of brain damage and how deep that damage really goes. doctors are scrambling to put together the early stimulation programs and physical therapy that babies with microcephaly and counselling for families. because there is no vaccine, there is no cure. brazil is trying to combat the mosquitoes that transmit this. according to the w.h.o., 1.5 million people have been infected. what we are seeing is a lot of panicked, expected mothers. many fear they won't know until the day they give birth that they have been infected. shasta darlington, cnn, brazil. >>> thank you, shasta. more u.s. troops need to be sent to iraq and syria to defeat isis. they say to deal the lasting crushing blow to isis, the pentagon says additional forces are needed to work with iraqi and kurdish fighters on the ground in those countries. >>> republicans running for president facing off in the gop debate. the biggest competitor was on stage across town. was donald able

brazil says cases of micro -- microcephaly are being studied.al researchers in this south america are sounding a little cautious, arguing that heightened aware of the virus may have lead to suspected cases of microcephaly being reported that previously would not have been. only 270 of the 4,180 cases recorded since october have actually been confirmed with 462 rejected as false diagnosis. i should add a rider to that. that is that of those 4,000 cases, it was only 700 that they paid particular attention to. rejecting about two-thirds of them. natalie mcdermott is with us, a pediatrician in london. doctor is the evidence grow that this is linked to zika? >> i think the answer is we still don't know. we know there seems to be an increased incident of m mic -- microcephaly in brazil. >> when are we going to know? >> i think there needs to be further studies to determine that. and we can't put a definitive time line on that. there needs to be animal studies of infected animals, and there needs to be prospective studies of what happens when we see wo

brazil says faces of microcephaly has been studied for signs of zika. condition where babies are born are abnormally small heads and brains. but they argue that heightened awareness of the zika virus may have lead to cases of microcephaly being reported that previously would not have been reported. only 270 of over 700 cases of microcephaly that were investigated have actually been confirmed, 462 has been rejected as false diagnosis. a pediatrician told me scientists aren't absolutely certain that the zika virus is linked to microcephaly. >> there needs to be more further studies to study that. there need to be animal studies of infecting animals with zika virus and seeing what happens to pregnant animals and prospective studies of seeing what happens when we see women who are pregnant and infected with the zika virus and what happens to their infants. >>> four minors who have been trapped for 36 days have been rescued. 13 are still unaccounted for. >>> there are calls for a rethink of the way that germany integrates refugees. chancellor angela merkel i

microcephaly, and the zika virus? how it strong is the connection? >> well, the reports are he circumstantial evidence, and i think that the virus has been isolated, recovered from babies who have microcephaly, and we know that we can recover the virus, and the amniotic fluid from mothers, who carry with their unborn children, and it has been recovered by cd from the please entia. one of the problems that we're facing, nothing is published from the bio medical literature. this is alling happening from the world health organization alerts, and it's on media, and from colleagues and journalists, and that points out the flaw that we have in the whole system of bio medical publishing, which is something that we're taking through science. this is a good he poster child of how we publish scientific information and how it works. >> doctor, what should ex spent ant mothers and women trying to get pregnant know about this and what should they try to do to avoid this? the idea of avoiding inbefected mosquitos, that fields like a crap shoot. >> it must be an in

. >> microcephaly is a condition in which a baby's brain and head don't fully develop. back in 2014, before the virus arrived in brazil, there were 150 known cases in the country. since october, that's jumped to 4,000. the link to the zika virus still hasn't been confirmed but it's enough to prompt senior u.s. health officials to act as if there is one. >> we are quite concerned about the potential complications to the fetus of a zika virus infection of pregnant women so we are really advising that pregnant women seriously consider postponing travel to these areas if possible. >> those areas cover 20 different countries throughout latin america and the caribbean and there have already been a handful of cases in the united states. health officials are still not clear why it's fled into an epidemic so quickly but they are worried that the olympic games in re rio de janeiro can cause it to spread even further . >> it's the olympic games and a lot of tourists will arrive in rnlgd are and will be exposed to getting a virus, so zika has consequences not just for the brazilian

it's called microcephaly, a condition that severely limits the a child physical and brain development. virus new to brazil called zika, same causing dengue fever and chikungunya. >> this virus was unheard of in brazil before now. >> doctors believe the zika virus is causing microcephaly. >> in december we have had 100 cases, now we've heard last week it's been 3,000 reports. >> reporter: and that's just in this state where a state of emergency has been declared. and where the army has been called out to combat disease carrying mosquitos. they thrive in rainy season and breed in even the smallest amount of still, clean water. but despite all these efforts the zika advisor is spreading not just through brazil but throughout south and central america. in fact disease control experts predict that within six months zika will arrive in texas. >> like using insect repellent. >> but the three and a half month old david precautions are too late. his sister maria sophia doats on him while mother worries about how she will take care of a child who will be seriously handicapped. >> my main concer

it's microcephali a condition limiting intellectual and physical development and which in less than fouronths reached epidemic proportions in brazil. reachers say they believe the cause is a virus new to brazil. called sikha, spread by the same mosquito that causes dengue fever. >> i was shocked when i found out. she is my first baby, and this was unheard of in brazil until now. >> doctors believe the virus is promoting microcephali and scarring of the retina in 4% of newborn babies. >> in december, we had 1,000 cases, and last week, there has been 3,000 reports. >> and that's just in the state. where a state of emergency has been declared, and where the army has been called out to combat disease carrying mosquitos. they thrive in rainy season and breathe in the smallest amount of clean water. but despite all the efforts, the ceka virus is spreading, not just through, but throughout south and central america. in fact, disease control experts predict within three months it will have reached texas. >> there's no cure for the virus, terrifying pregnant women. >> i asked the doctor if what i

so far, an estimated 42-hundred babies born in brazil with microcephaly ... abnormally small heads and brains. on thursday, we were with a new mom in brazil as she took her 2-month-old, born with microcephaly, to the doctor. "the level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty." with travel advisories now in effect, the uncertainty extends to the u.s, but experts believe the risk of a similar large-scale outbreak here is low. largely because very few americans live in the kind of mosquito breeding grounds we see in brazil....surrounded by trash and stagnate water. "and people typically have air conditioning and good screens that don't think there's the dense population and the density of mosquitoes and that people um are not really living in the outdoors in in such a great extent." so far, the cdc is aware of 31-cases of zika infection in the u.s. another 19 in puerto rico and one in the us virgin islands. all of the victims contracted the virus while traveling abroad. we don't know how many involve pregnant women. this morning, health departments ac

brazilian authorities think there is a link between microcephaly and the zika virus. that link hasn't been conclusively proven yet, but it has still been enough for countries in the region to take the extraordinary step to advise women not to get pregnant at this time. most countries including el salvador and colombia. the world health organisation has also just come out and said that this is now affecting the zika virus, 21 countries and territories in the americas and they think it will spread to every country in the region apart from canada and chile who don't have the type of mosquito that brings the virus with them. here in mexico officials are carrying out fumigation of public spaces and houses and i ask an official what can be done to stop it spreading further? >> you won't stop it. we haven't able to stop other conditions, so what we have to do is go against the breeding places of the mosquitoes and avoid being bitten by them. how? using long sleeve, pants and repellents. >> reporter: the big worry is about the olympic games that are going to be held in brazil

these children with microcephaly will lead a very limited life.e of them will die early, of course. the entire course of their illness, their disability, we still do not know. looking at other causes of microcephaly, it will be a sad circumstance. katty: is there any prospect of a vaccine for mothers who are getting -- or families were getting pregnant? dr. schaffner: you can't believe that people are working day and night to develop a vaccine and i think the production of a vaccine, given the magnitude of the problem, would be accelerated. i can do what was happening with ebola. i think that people would really work very hard to develop an effective vaccine. katty: you understand how fear spreads when there is something like this, particularly in those communities that are underserved. do you think that government advice to families to delay adding pregnant is sensible? dr. schaffner: actually, i think it is sensible. that is because of the magnitude of this problem. this is a very, very serious recommendation. i can think of nothing quite akin t

it's called microcephaly. a condition that severely limits a child's development and has reached epidemic proportions in brazil. researchers say they believe the cause is to a virus new to brazil called zika spread by the same mosquito that carries dengue fever. >> i was shocked when i found out. she is my first baby and this illness was not heard of in brazil until now. >> doctors believe that the zika virus is creating microcephaly but also scarring of the retina. >> we heard last week it's been 3,000 reports. >> and that's just in this area, where a state of emergency has been declared and where the army has been called out to combat the disease-carrying mosquitoes. they thrive in rainy season and breed in even the smallest amount of still, clean water. but despite all these efforts the zika virus is spreading not just through brazil but throughout south and central america. in fact, disease control experts predict within three months zika will have reached texas. there is no cure for the virus. terrifying

. >> officials here say the virus may be causing the alarming cases of microcephali, a birth defect. babies born with smaller heads and often brain damage. there is no vaccine and no cucu. they're going door to door passing out pamphlets and looking for mosquito-infested ters. health officials say a big part of the mosquito breeding problem occurs in communities like this one, because of the water water inside their homes. officials are treating the water with chemicals and gathering samples to take for testing. for people living here it's put them on edge. do you wore at all about the zika virus? this man is concerned because his own mothehe was diagnosed with the virus three months ago. and in maternity wards doctors are also alarmed. tre has been a dramatic spike in the number of suspected microcephali cases seen in more than 4,000 newborns in brazil these past four months. >> there is anan ultrasound specialist i see the pregnancy is supposed to be a moment of joy but now women fear about the new problem, they fear about the future. >> reporter: fear overshadowing joy for many ne

and to give you an idea, more than 50 babies are born with microcephaly, a neurological disorder that to serious problems in their life. here, this accounts for about 40% of those cases to the point that we're getting doctors and health officials warning women not to get pregnant, to put off pregnancy if they can. there are no evacueevaccines, t no cure, the hit officials are trying to combat the mosquito to transmits this virus. the health ministry says they're dedicating 2,000 troops going door-to-door to look for the stagnant pools of water where the mosquito breeds, also to hand out repellant to pregnant women. this of course comes at a terrible time when you think about the olympic games that are to happen here, and the officials will minimize the risk ahead of the games and during the games and will inspect the venues every day to make sure they are not building up mosquitos. also they are betting on the weather, since the mosquitos come in the drier, cooler month of august they hope that the weather will help to blow away the virus. >>> joining me now from dallas is cnn medical

angela hocha one of the first to make the link between zika and microcephaly. these babies have brain damage to differing degrees, which means inserting this generation into society is going to be very complicated, she says. research continues to establish a cause and effect with the zika virus. spread by the same mosquitos that transmit yellow fever and dengue. there's no vaccine, no cure. which means the egyptian mosquito is public enemy number one. >> all the effort has been put on having -- on prevention by having the population of mosquitos under control. >> reporter: 200,000 troops now going door to door, eliminating the stagnant water that serves as the mosquitos' breeding ground and educating families. the health ministry admits it's been losing the war against the mosquito. and mothers-to-be across brazil see their moment of hope turned into a moment of unbelievable anguish. shasta darlington, cnn, recife, brazil. >>> now, some in italy's capital are calling font government to wake up and recognize same-sex unions. how the government is responding on t

the "zika" virus was found in fetal and newborn tissues of babies with microcephaly in brazil. microcephaly is a neurological disorder that can cause babies to be born with abnormally small heads, which leads to severe there is no vaccine to block the zika virus and no medicine to treat it. earlier this week, a case of zika virus was confirmed in a person who had recently traveled to latin america. a northern nevada company will become the third company to be a space station supplier for nasa. the space agency announced the new contract with sparks- based sierra nevada corporation. they will join space-x and orbital a-t-k in launching cargo to the international space station. sierra nevada will launch from cape canaveral, florida. the flights will run through 2024. who doesn't like to save a little money? one way to do that is with memberships that can help you stretch your wallet a little further. if you like to fly those friendly skies ... you the southwest rapid rewards program. every time you fly on southwest airlines ... you earn points toward a free flight. if you tend to

the symptoms of zika includes fever, headache and babies born with unusually small heads, called microcephaly. christian lindmeier, from the world health organization, very good to have you on the program. this sounds like a health warning this you are taking very seriously. >> definitely something we have to take very seriously, we are not sure of the link. the one hand, the zika viergs whicviruswhich is a very mild dd some people get no symptoms and on the other hand, in brazil there is an outbreak of microcephaly which is extremely concerning. in a country that normally experiences 160 cases a year, we now have 4,000 cases. this is something that needs to be deeply investigated to see where exactly the link is. because the interesting factors we have of zika and brazil and yes, microacceptly, we don't have microcephaly sensed in other countries which have experienced outbreaks of zika before. this is a very challenging question to see whether zika alone is caused by this, environmental factors to herbicides, pesticides, to other infections to other diseases, other even vaccines sometimes.

there infected pregnant women have given birth to more than 4,000 babies suffering from microcephaly, a rare neurological disorder that's being linked to zika virus. with this birth defect, the brain doesn't develop normally during pregnancy, resulting in a disproportionately small head and that's just the beginning. microcephaly can cause a host of other problems, including developmental delay, seizures, hearing and vision loss. the sheer numbers have caused officials to warn potential mothers not to travel to brazil. >> the guidance that the cdc has issued relates to advice that is given to pregnant women or women who are thinking of becoming pregnant about traveling to some of these countries. and steps they can take to mitigate the risks that they face. >> reporter: responding to the concerns of travelers, united and delta airlines are allowing customers to delay or cancel their trips to zika affected areas without penalty. other airlines are more restrictive . director skinner: >> thousands of babies with neurological deficits and that's going to be really challenging. again thin

the authorities think that there's a link microcephaly and the zika virus. that link hasn't been conclusively proven yet, but it still has been enough for other countries in the region to take the extraordinary step to advise women not to get pregnant at this time. those countries include el salvador and colombia. the w.h.o. has come out and said this is now affecting the zika virus, 21 countries and territories in the americas and they think that it is going to spread to every country in the region apart from canada and chile who don't have the type of mohammed hamid suleiman that brings the virus with them. here in mexico i asked the top official on what can be done to prevent this zika virus from preventing further? >> you will not stop the virus. we haven't been able to stop dengue and chicken gunya. you need to avoid going to the areas. you wear long sleeves, pants and repellant. >> reporter: the big worry is about the olympic games that are going to be held in brazil this summer, with an influx of visitors vulnerable to the threat >>> a vishgs irologis

"right now in brazil, we see close to 4,000 microcephaly cases. microcephaly again, is the condition with abnormally infants, in babies born, which normally goes along with a smaller brain development as well." the virus was first found in a monkey in uganda's zika forest in 19- 47... and has rapidly spread recently. the olympics are coming to brazil this summer... prompting urgent concerns among international travelers. pregenent woman are warned to avoid countries in which the zika virus is actively spreading. a disturbing discovery west of baghdad - as iraqi forces unearth yet another mass grave. this one in ramadi - appears to contain the bodies of more than 40 people - including children... women... civilians... and police officers. iraqi forces just recently took the city back from the control of isis militants. mass graves have been found in other areas liberated from isis control - in both syria and iraq. "this is another evidence of the crimes committed by isis. the group uses various heinous and savage acts to liquidate and kill our peop

she's seen 130 babies with microcephaly - abnormal smallness of the head. sot - dr. camilla ventura this is scary.. we are dealing with a disease that we have no information about. (8 seconds) this woman's daughter was born with microcephaly? she told me through a translator she felt symptoms of zika but was told (5 seconds) saying they will work so she can speak, walk, and have as much of a normal life as possible. right now a series of little storms is dumping rain on the northwest. the weekend. and check this out..... a road is literally falling apart in oregon. this angle shows just how big the sinkhole is. making matters even worse.... there is another big sinkhole just a few feet away! both are now more than 50 feet wide - and growing. engineers say all of the water from recent storms has overwhelmed a storm drain under the road. that stretch of nearby highway 101 is now closed.. probably until spring. the winds have already picked up this afternoon, ahead of a strong storm system that will bring rain, mountain snow, strong winds and colder temps to the area. w

but he was born with a small head and brain damage - microcephaly. (rafaela oliveira dos santos, new mother): "people here react like he's got some contagious she says. people look at him when we're in the street. there was no warning. doctors only detected the disorder after luis felipe was born. "what gives me strength is the says. luis felipe will need to be cared for his entire life. corespondent): she's doing this three times a week now, taking her son to physical therapy, and yet she goes back to work in march, it's not clear how she's going to do this. and she's the only person in her family who has a job. here in the state of pernambuco we've seen the heartache and financial burden this is putting on families. (babies being treated at oswaldo cruz hospital, more than 4,000 cases of newborn microcephaly have been reported in brazil since zika was first detected less than a year ago. 40 percent of them, here where babies and moms face endless jabs and tests. (shasta darlington, correspondent): "thais is telling me that she's come here. vinicius

the zika virus has been linked to a birth defect called microcephaly, where babies are born with small heads. n.y.u. langone's dr. tara shazian says doctors here are bracing for the likely arrival of the virus. in america, about four million women get pregnant each year. >> out of five women, only one exhibits symptoms, so the other four don't have symptoms, and may still have been exposed and may still develop microcephaly in their fetuses. mom to the fetus, we think, is relatively high. >> reporter: nurse practitioner safiyyah okoye is 22 weeks pregnant and has decided not to vacation in the caribbean this year. >> even some of the countries we were considering that weren't on the travel ban list i felt like by the time of our trip in march, it seemed like the list was rapidly growing. >> reporter: today, both united and american airlines issued new policies allowing pregnant women to postpone travel or receive full refunds for flights to zika-affected countries. the common way zika spreads is through mosquito bites, but more research is needed about the risk of transmission through

since october, there has been a huge rise in the number of babies born with microcephaly. the zika virus is believed to be behind it, causing skull deformities and brain damage. the symptoms include high temperature and a skin rash, but scientists don't yet understand how exactly the virus gets passed on to the fetus. i've been specialized in infectious diseases for 43 years. i've never seen anything like this. doctors are stressed, mothers are panicking. the brazilian government has deployed around 220,000 soldiers to fight the egyptian tiger mosquito. here, several of them go from house to house. around 550 tons of anti-mosquito agent and pesticides have been used. the governmen advise some women to delay their plans to have children because as yet, there is no remedy for the zika virus. brent: let's go to brazil, our correspondent is standing by in rio. a quarter of a million soldiers are being dispatched to fight this virus. is that enough, and what can soldiers do against the mosquitoes? philip: the fight against the mosquitoes, it has done the most damage in 30 years

he is one of more than 4,000 babies diagnosed with microcephali in brazil since october. born with an abnormally small head and brain damage, believed to be caused by the zika virus. >> what do the doctors tell you about his development? his mother says she doesn't know if filipe will ever walk or talk or how long he'll live, but his family takes it one day at a odds. many of these children struggle with building muscle tone so his father works hard to move his legs and strengthen his body. feeling is another challenge, so they also closely monitor his weight. for babies with microcephali julio, a draftsman, and fernanda a government worker didn't know there was a problem until her five-month checkup. now that she's learned about the zika virus she wonders if there was something she could have done differently. i can see it in your eyes. >> uh-huh. >> you love him the same. >> very much. >> filipe's struggles are hard on the whole family including his grandfather. >> i see you holding him and i see you emotional. he tells us that while his grandson's future is uncertain o

the result, microcephaly, results from a small head and brain damage. one pregnant woman canceled a trip to aruba over concerns. >> i'm 14 weeks pregnant. just thinking about it upsets me. >> the disease causes fever, joint pain, pink eye and rash, basically discomfort. travelers are urged to wear repellent and long sleeves and pregnant women. >> if you've been to one of those places, the c.d.c. is suggesting you talk with your provider about whether you need an ultrasound. reporter: medical experts have looked at the data from brazil and say they understand the disease but so far no treatment and no vaccine. pam cross, wcvb newscenter 5. heather: commitment 2016, sarah palin hitting the campaign trail with donald trump, the two appearing together at a rally in oklahoma. palin officially endorsed trump poll shows trump holding on to the lead in new hampshire. the wmur poll puts him on top with 34%. ted cruz, a distant second with 14%. jeb bush and marco rubio tied at 10%. ed: former president bill clinton making his third trip to new hampshire to campai

for babies with microcephaly there is no treatment or cure. julio, a craftsman and fernanda a government worker, didn't know there was a problem until her five-month checkup and now that she's learned about the zika something she could have done differently. i can see in your eyes you love him the same. >> very much. >> reporter: felipe struggles are hard on the whole family, including his grandfather fernando. i see you holding him and i see emotion. fernando tells us that while his grandson's future is uncertain, one thing is for sure, he will always be loved by his family. rehema ellis, nbc news, recife, brazil. >> and when we come back here tonight, how do the people here in iowa feel about becoming the center ring of a media circus every four years? >>> finally tonight, the buzz, the excitement when the circus comes to town. the campaign circus, that is, and the media sideshow that goes along with it. descending on iowa every four years, a boon for the economy and a source of pride for the first state to vote as tom brokaw, who has covere

no unborn child at risk of developing microcephaly. this 20-year-old visited her doctor. her 2-month-old is one of thousands of babies who have been born with microcephaly in the last year. mosquitoes have not arrived yet in the u.s., 31 have turned up in 11 states and d.c., all of them involving travelers who contracted zika while abroad. 19 cases in puerto rico and one in the virgin islands. we don't know how many involve pregnant women. experts expect some zika mosquitoes will arrive in southern gulf states, they don't expect a massive outbreak. >> there is always the slight possibility that we might be a major outbreak. we don't think that's going to occur. but we're going to be prepared for it. >> reporter: the reasons for the optimism, there's far less trash and stagnant water in u.s. urban areas. cities and towns spray for mosquitoes here. cold weather acts as a barrier. and americans use air conditioning and window screens to keep mosquitoes out. meanwhile, gina park is 18 weeks pregnant. she and her husband have now canceled an upcoming trip to mexico. >> we just

sanitation crews dispatched to wipe out zika-carrying mosquitos already linked to 4,000 cases of microcephaly in brazil, babies born with deformed heads and brains. 24 countries and territories are now on the cdc's list of areas that pregnant women or women who could become pregnant should avoid. meanwhile in a top medical journal today, two top american researchers accused the world health organization of failing to act fast enough. >> now we have a pandemic. multiple continents, and certainly many countries, more than 21 countries in the americas. we need global leadership for this evolving rapidly accelerating health problem. >> reporter: while travelers infected with zika abroad have already returned to the u.s., there is growing concern that zika mosquitos could soon spread to the southern u.s. states and then spread north with warmer weather. become in brazil with carnivale and olympic tourists expected this summer, a quarter of a million soldiers are now on mosquito control missions and carolina lobo is seven months pregnant. >> i'm worried because i can't have a baby with microcephaly

for babies with microcephaly, there is no treatment for cure. the family takes it one day at a time. his father julio, said she has symptoms in her third month of pregnancy. researchers believe mosquitoes are spreading the virus linked with microcephaly. the virus is now present in at least 24 countries and territories. the cdc is keeping a close watch on the presence of the virus in the u.s. >> we have not seen viruses like zika spread widely here simply because people have screens in their houses and air conditioning. we don't have the level of crowding in the places where zika is spreading widely. >> reporter: the struggles are hard on the whole family. fernando tells us that while his grandson's future is uncertain, one thing is for sure, he will always be loved. public health officials say the likelihood of a massive zika outbreak in the continental united states, similar to what's happening in brazil is low. still the cdc says its staying on top of this and working closely with world health authorities. craig. >> rehema ellis for us in bra

other countries that have had outbreaks have not reported cases of microcephaly.n brazil, workers fumigated rio's dome, where the up coming carnival will be held. >> translator: you could have the start of an epidemic in this place. >> reporter: puerto rico's health secretary confirmed 18 new cases of the zika virus. the majority of the cases are in the southeast of the island. united airlines and latin america's largest airlines say they will wave cancellation or flight change fees for people who want to change their trip to inverdicted areas. >> i think we'll probably have small, shall we say splurges or clusters, but beyond that i'm pretty confident that we will not have wide-spread zika virus. >> reporter: it's hard to spot, only one in five victims actually develop symptoms. >> there is no treatment for this virus. we can't give you a drug to cure you, and there's no vaccine yet, so the whole trick is to stay away from infected mosquitos. >> reporter: health officials expect the virus to spread to every country in north and south america except canada and chi

there's been a dramatic spike in the number of suspected microcephaly cases, seen in more than 4,000 newborns in brazil these past four months. >> as an ultrasound specialist, i see that pregnancy is supposed to be a moment of joy. but now women are tense. they fear about the new problem. they fear about the future. >> reporter: fear overshadowing joy for many new parents as the country struggles to stop the spread of zika. nbc news, brazil. >>> when "nightly news" continues on this saturday, a city worries about its children. the growing anxiety in flint, michigan, over the effects of lead in the water. >>> later, catching the big wave and what happens when the big wave catches him. >>> as flint, michigan struggles with lead poisoning in the water, some samples are testing so high they exceed levels that can be treated with the water filters given to residents and businesses there. of particular concern, the long-term affects on children who drank that tainted water for months. stephanie gosk has more on that tonight. >> reporter: these preschoolers were two years old when the water

carolina lobo is seven months pregnant. >> i'm worried about i can have a baby with microcephaly and i don't want it. nobody wants it. >> reporter: president obama is ushing american researchers to develop a vaccine quickly, but that could be years aw. the good news, people who aren't pregnant and contract zika symptoms if any at all and then have immunity for life. tom costello, nbc news, washington. >> you have to think about the millions of people, let alone the athlet that are showing up in rio for the olympics. >> they're saying because it's going to be the winter months in brazil it's not going to be that bad. but you have to wonder and fear. >> nbc 6 news at 5:00 starts right now. >> live, this is nbc 6 south florida breaking news. . now at 5:00, we're at the scene of a police involved shooting. an accident in pembroke pines. julia bagg is gathering information right now >> bad weather wreaked havoc across south florida. meteorologist ryan phillips keeping an eye on the radar. >>> two arrestst, one momo on the road. broward deputies need your help finding the third suspect acc

this photo was taken in brazil, and this little baby was born with microcephaly. brazil really is one of the hardest hit countries by the virus. it is going to host the olympics in a couple of months. there is an interesting article in "the new york times" about how specialists are weighing the risks of zika spreading at the olympic games. 500,000 people are expected to come to brazil for the olympics, and there is a fear that foreigners that are infected could bring the virus home. the article talks about the fact are 200,000 americans expected to come to brazil in august. when they return home, it will be summer in the northern hemisphere so there will be a lot of mosquitoes around. if they are infected, the mosquitoes could potentially spread the virus there. is a potentially worrying situation on the horizon. there is a lot of focus on the race of for the white house, but specifically what candidates are wearing. flo: that's right. "the washington post" is particularly fashion conscious, talking about the casual friday looked at republican candidates cannot ge

microcephaly is when a baby is born with a small brain and small head. this in south carolina after a pregnant woman traveled in an affected area in south america. doctors believe it's spread by mosquitoes who bite an infected human and then bite another person. one of the two species of mosquitoes involved is common in the southeastern united states. >> i honestly believe that this is something that is coming here. we can probably keep it to a fairly low-grade infection in terms of the number of individuals. but i don't think it's going to bypass us. it's just moving much too fast for that and the preventive measures are so difficult to accomplish at this point. it's really mosquito control and protection against mosquito bites. carol: those measures include -- staying inside to avoid mosquito bites in spring and summer. get rid of any mosquito breeding grounds near your home. even a cup of water left outside can be a problem. use insect repellent when you go out. if you are pregnant, you might want to talk to your doctort that. keep arms and legs cover

over four-thousand babies in brazil have been born with microcephaly, resulting in abnormally small heads that can cause brain damage, and long- term developmental these babies have brain damage to differing degrees which means inserting this generation into society is going to be very complicated. the world health organization now says the virus is "spreading explosively," with the potential of three to four million cases in the next 12 months. so this virus has been on the move for some time, so a lot of people have been exposed to this virus already in those areas, but it will continue to move, would be the expectation. up to 1.5 million brazilians have been infected but symptoms most people. the serious risk is only in there is no treatment for the zika virus and no immunity either. decades but only arrived in the americas last year -- spreading to 24 countries and 31 cases in the continental u.s., all of them brought to the u.s. from abroad. people who are pregnant, may become pregnant, are thinking about becoming pregnant, we recommend they reconsider traveling to those 24 affected

remains positive about her microphone -- her sons microcephaly. other news from around the world. the internet giant google has announced it is going to be paying more tax in the u.k. it will pay $190 million in back taxes. he came to an agreement about how much it will pay in the future. two people are reportedly dead and a suspect in custody after a school shooting in the weston province of saskatchewan. now.chool is on lockdown so far there are no details about the victims are you haiti's electoral authorities have confirmed a presidential runoff election for the third time. hostageesident is usually barred from seeking reelection. his term and in less than three weeks and it is feared that if there is an election it could push haiti into even further political instability. the academy of motion picture arts and sciences has approved plans to increase the diversity of its membership in response to lack of minority representation. the academy faced a backlash from campaigners after only white actors were nominated for hollywood's most prestigious awards and that is for the secon

the increase incidence of microcephaly is alarming as it places a heart breaking burden on families and communities. >> reporter: back at the airport the minister announces another measure. >> translation: there is an important festival in easter island next week. so we are giving repellants to everyone who gets off the plane there. >> reporter: this tiny island was one of the first places outside of africa to be infected with zika but when it experienced a new outbreak in 2014 it raised no alarm bells. >> translation: the numbers of people were very small so it was not registered. they built of immunity. in brazil the consequences are being clearly perceived. >> reporter: the majority of the people you see here are about to get on an aeroplane and going to countries where zika has been detected. the main airline has agreed to refund pregnant women, even with non-refundable tickets because of the unforeseen danger that travelling would represent to them. as they prepare to fly, this couple tells us they're again using birth control cancelling their plans to conceive a child while on hol