Before COVID-19, there was another public health crisis that captured headlines around the world: the Zika virus outbreak of 2015-16, which became an epidemic as it spread through Brazil and the Americas. The mosquito-borne virus was perhaps best known for causing significant birth defects, most prominently microcephaly, which can cause an abnormally small head and an underdeveloped brain. Children with congenital Zika syndrome can also experience seizures, vision and hearing problems, mobility issues and more.
