Officials warn of rampant spread of ‘head-shrinking’ virus in US territory Puerto Rico
Health expert expects a quarter of Caribbean island's population to be infected by end of the year
A HEALTH expert has warned he expects one in four people in the US territory of Puerto Rico to be infected with the Zika virus before the year's end.
The Caribbean island has reported 1,914 new cases of the disease in the last week, and there are said to be 10,690 cases there altogether.
The island's Health Secretary Ana Rius has said that of the total cases 1,035 involve pregnant women.
The virus is thought to cause serious birth defects including 'shrunken heads' in babies.
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Officials say 90 people in Puerto Rico have been hospitalised by the virus.
Roughly 30 of them are said to have been diagnosed with the temporary paralysis condition Guillain-Barre which is linked to the condition.
Brazil has been worst affected by the outbreak which has swept across the Latin America.
The spread of the virus prompted some athletes and golfer Rory McIlroy to pull out of the Rio Olympics.
It is feared the UK could be hit by Zika when Brits travelling to see the games return home.
50 people in Britain have already tested positive for Zika after returning to our shores from abroad.
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