Indiana has its first case of the Zika virus, state health officials announced Tuesday morning.
The person affected was a non-pregnant resident who had recently traveled to Haiti. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the illness, which wasn’t severe enough for the individual to be hospitalized, according to a State Department of Health press release.
“I’m thankful for the work of the Indiana State Department of Health as they have tracked the spread of the Zika virus in Latin America and the Caribbean in the event it would arrive here in Indiana,” Gov. Mike Pence said in the release.
“Hoosiers can be assured that the Department of Health is working diligently to study the latest information on the Zika virus and will be proactively keeping Hoosiers informed in the weeks and months ahead.”
The Zika virus is currently spreading through the Caribbean and Central and South America and the illness has no vaccine or treatment, according to the release. The first confirmed Zika infection occurred in Brazil in May 2015.
Zika is spread mostly through bites from an Aedes aegyptior or Aedes albopictus mosquito that is infected with the virus. Most who have contracted the illness will not develop symptoms, but those who do develop symptoms can have a fever, rash, joint pain and pink eye.
The illness is usually mild, according to the CDC’s website.
The virus can also be spread through unprotected sexual contact, the CDC has reported.
The CDC has warned pregnant women about traveling to areas where the virus is rampant due to the fact it may cause birth defects. Reports in Brazil linked microcephaly, a condition which could cause a baby’s head and brain to be smaller than average, to women who were infected with the Zika virus during their pregnancy.
“Pregnant women should not travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is occurring. Everyone else must weigh the risks against the benefits of travel and make the choice that feels right for them,” said Jennifer Brown, public health veterinarian for the Indiana State Department of Health, in the release. “People who choose to travel can reduce their risk of Zika virus infection by taking rigorous precautions to prevent mosquito bites.”
State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams said the risk of contracting the virus in Indiana is low, but that the health department will be helping local health officials in the event that additional cases crop up.
Alexa Chryssovergis
