The resident “had traveled this year to an area of the world where mosquitoes are known to spread Zika virus”, the health department said.
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As of June 29, the City of Houston had 11 confirmed Zika cases, and a Harris County Health Department spokeswoman said the surrounding areas in the county have seven confirmed cases.
It added that the identity of the person who died or their travel history would not be released.
Health officials are most concerned about Zika infections in pregnant women because the virus is linked to microcephaly and other fatal brain defects. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with Zika, it can cause severe borth defects in the baby.
The CDC has also been tracking pregnant women infected with Zika, and says they have five reports of pregnancy losses because of miscarriage, stillbirth or abortion.
“This unfortunate situation is a tragic reminder of how important it is to receive proper pre-travel education and to protect yourself from mosquitoes when traveling overseas”, said Dr. Dagmar Vitek, medical director for Salt Lake County Health Department.
As of Friday, the California Department of Public Health reported 77 people with Zika statewide, including 18 pregnant women.
A woman looks at a Center for Disease Control health advisory sign about the dangers of the Zika virus as she lines up for a security screening at Miami International Airport. The cases brought to 220 the number of people who have been infected with Zika since it first appeared here in January.
The unidentified Salt Lake County resident contracted the virus while traveling overseas to an area with a Zika outbreak, health officials said.
Montgomery County officials reported a confirmed case of the virus back in March.
The cause of death has not been determined. The patient, who has not been identified in any way, had been traveling to a Zika-affected zone, health officials in Utah told a news conference. They argue more is needed for research, to develop a vaccine and to keep the virus from spreading. “We have to ensure Florida is prepared and stays ahead of the spread of the Zika virus in our state”, Scott said in a statement. The virus can also cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
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A team of researchers, including a University of Miami mathematician, recently modeled the contribution of sexual transmission to the spread of the virus.
