State’s first locally transmitted Zika virus found in South Texas

A South Texas woman has been diagnosed with the state’s first locally transmitted case of the Zika virus, health officials said Monday.

She likely received the virus from a mosquito, according to a press release from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The woman, a resident of Cameron County in the Rio Grande Valley, isn’t pregnant and hasn’t recently traveled to Mexico or any other country at risk of the virus, the press release said.

“We knew it was only a matter of time before we saw a Zika case spread by a mosquito in Texas,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner. “We still don’t believe the virus will become widespread in Texas, but there could be more cases, so people need to protect themselves from mosquito bites, especially in parts of the state that stay relatively warm in the fall and winter.”

Officials are still investigating how the woman contracted the virus. They have been trapping and testing mosquitoes at the woman’s home in Brownsville and the city recently sprayed for mosquitoes.

Pregnant women should avoid traveling to Mexico, where several communities have reported cases of the Zika virus, the state press release said.

The virus is transmitted primarily through mosquito bites, though sexual transmission can happen.

The most common symptoms are fever, itchy rash, joint pain and eye redness. Symptoms are usually minor but the virus can cause severe birth defects, including microcephaly, the press release said.

Texas has had 257 confirmed cases of the Zika virus, but until now, all had been linked to travel.

Following Monday’s announcement, the the Texas Health and Human Services Commission issued a news release saying it will reinstate the Medicaid benefit for mosquito repellent. According to the release, the benefit will begin Tuesday and be in place through December “given the possibility of local transmission and risk of Zika in the local community.”

This report contains material from The Texas Tribune.

This story was originally published November 28, 2016 at 2:08 PM with the headline "State’s first locally transmitted Zika virus found in South Texas."