The Latest On Zika: Microcephaly Experts Are Shocked By Cases In Brazil

President Barack Obama requested $1.8 billion in emergency funds Monday to help combat Zika virus, and it couldn’t come at a moment too soon. U.S. experts are reviewing the medical records from a small number of Brazilian patients born with microcephaly, a birth defect believed to be linked to the virus, and the little patients’ scans reveal that Zika may have an even more devastating effect on fetal development than originally thought.

The Zika virus, which is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is strongly suspected to be causing a new wave of microcephaly cases in Brazil. Babies born with the birth defect have smaller heads and brains that aren't fully developed, which can result in life-long developmental problems.