Montgomery County, Pa. Reports First Zika Virus Case
NORRISTOWN, Pa., (CBS) -- The Montgomery County Health Department announced confirmation Tuesday of the first case of Zika virus in the Pennsylvania county.
According to the Health Department, a 55-year-old woman tested positive for the virus, following travel outside of the United States to an area where Zika virus has been found. Officials say there are now six confirmed cases of Zika virus in Pennsylvania, according to the state Department of Health.
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"The Zika virus is generally a mild virus that lasts less than a week," said Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, who is also a physician and is interim medical director of the Montgomery County Health Department in a news release. "The CDC, the state health department and our county health department are fully prepared for cases of Zika virus, which is important to note, cannot be transmitted through casual contact. We want to strongly encourage our residents to focus on mosquito bite prevention, if they travel to countries that are affected by the ongoing outbreak. It is also important to talk with your healthcare provider about travel if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant."
Officials say Zika virus is a generally mild illness that is spread primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito. Common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes), lasting from several days to one week, according to officials. Officials say spread of the virus through blood transfusion and sexual contact has also been reported. It cannot be transmitted through casual contact, according to officials.
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Officials say the outbreak has spread to numerous countries and areas, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue travel notices to regions where the Zika virus transmission is ongoing.
For more information, go to the MCHD Zika Page: http://www.montcopa.org/index.aspx?nid=2324.