The first case of the Zika virus reported in Idaho struck a woman from the panhandle over the age of 60 who had just traveled through Mexico, according to an Idaho Department of Health and Welfare press release.
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The first case of Zika in Idaho was discovered at a hospital in Rathdrum, Idaho health officials said. The Center for Disease Control issued an global travel warning due to the virus earlier in the year. Because of this, there is no danger to the general public of the virus circulating through casual contact.
Fortunately, you most likely will not see the Zika-carrying mosquitoes around here. The woman’s symptoms did not require hospitalization, health officials said. Common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.
The Zika virus has been linked to serious birth defects in pregnant women including microcephaly. There is no preventive vaccine for Zika virus.
Women wanting to become pregnant should not try to conceive for at least eight weeks after they or their partner’s return from an area where Zika virus is circulating if neither partner had symptoms of Zika virus infection, or six months if either had symptoms.
Since July 27 there have been 1,658 confirmed cases of Zika virus in the United States and nearly all of those were travel related. While it’s not here yet, transmission of the virus – from mosquito to human and back – has recently been detected in Florida, prompting local officials to plan a response.
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Because it is mosquito season, WCCHD continues to encourage everyone, especially pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant, to protect themselves from mosquito bites. The cases were confirmed last week through testing at the Department of State Health Services lab in Austin.
