THIS JUST GETS WORSE: Zika-related birth defects likely higher than anticipated: panel.

Earlier this year, a U.S. analysis estimated the risk of microcephaly following a mother’s infection with the virus during the first trimester of pregnancy at between 1 percent and 13 percent.

That figure does not include the overall risk of risk of birth defects, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a panel discussion on Zika.

“If you’re talking about any congenital defect I think it’s going to be much higher than 13 percent,” he said. “I think we’re going to see something very disturbing.”

The panel was presented by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in collaboration with Reuters.

Seems like only a vaccine can really control this problem: Mosquito control is just a stopgap.