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 has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.