More than 30 U.S. troops diagnosed with Zika

A mosquito.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that 33 service members, including one pregnant woman, have contracted Zika virus.

All of the infections happened outside of the continental United States, and six relatives of service members have also contracted the virus, the Military Times reports. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that has no cure or vaccine, and in pregnant women, can cause microcephaly and other birth defects. The Pentagon said it has been taking "proactive steps for months to help mitigate the threat of Zika," and has increased mosquito surveillance and control and urges service members to wear insect repellent and to stay away from areas with mosquitos.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.