Texan who picked up Zika in Miami is warning for state-to-state transmission
Now that a Texas resident has been diagnosed with the Zika virus after returning from travel to Miami, the phrase “travel-related Zika” carries new meaning, said CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook.
Until this point, the phrase “travel-related Zika” has referred exclusively to travel outside the continental U.S., Dr. LaPook said.
The new Zika case marks a shift in the spread of the virus in the U.S.
“The concern is a traveler like him - with Zika in their blood - could return home, get bitten by a local mosquito, and infect that mosquito, which would then turn around and infect other people,” Dr. LaPook said, adding that this event could lead to “a new pocket of local transmission.”
The CDC warns travelers returning from known Zika zones to actively avoid new mosquito bites for three weeks after they return home.
To watch the rest of Dr. LaPook’s comments, watch the video above.