3 deaths linked to Zika virus in Venezuela

Venezuela has 319 confirmed cases of the Zika virus

Three people have died in Venezuela from complications related to the Zika virus, President Nicolas Maduro said.

There have been 319 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the nation, state-run newspaper Correo Del Orinoco reported Thursday.

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Venezuela's deaths come as Latin American nations battle the virus, which is believed to cause brain damage in babies.

Zika is commanding attention because of an alarming connection between the virus and microcephaly, a neurological disorder in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. It causes severe developmental issues and in some cases, death.

The Zika virus is a flavivirus, part of the same family as yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue. But unlike some of those viruses, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika or medicine to treat the infection.

On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first case of locally acquired Zika virus in the United States in the latest outbreak. The case was transmitted via sex and not the more usual way by mosquito bite.

Brazil has reported the most cases in the outbreak, sparking major concern because the nation is hosting the Olympics in August.

The World Health Organization has declared the spread of microcephaly a global health emergency. Other nations affected include Colombia and El Salvador.