Pima County health officials have reported the first confirmed local case of the Zika virus.
The infected person contracted the virus while traveling outside the United States to various places in the Caribbean, the Pima County Health Department said Friday.
The person returned to Pima County and has recovered from all Zika-related symptoms, the county said. No additional Zika cases have been identified.
“This individual is no longer at risk of transmitting the virus and officials are confident this person was infected while traveling,” the department said in a news release.
Mosquito bites spread the Zika virus, which causes fever, rash, joint pain and red or swollen eyes, the county said. The illness is typically mild and symptoms last for a few days. However, the virus poses a greater risk to pregnant women because it can cause fetal deaths or serious birth defects.
Arizona is home to one of the Aedes species of mosquitoes that spread the Zika virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday three cases of babies born in the United States with birth defects related to the Zika virus. All of the mothers were infected while traveling in Latin America or the Caribbean.
The World Health Organization said the virus also can be spread through sexual contact.
The virus also causes Guillain-Barre syndrome, which the WHO described as a rare condition in which the immune system attacks nerves. Most people fully recover from the syndrome, but in about a quarter of all cases the virus affects chest muscles and makes breathing difficult.
“As soon as we knew this person was at risk for Zika, we took the necessary steps to inform the individual on how to prevent mosquito bites,” Pima County Health Department Director Francisco García said in the news release.
The health department said officials have increased mosquito trapping, surveillance and testing throughout the county.
“While travel-related cases like this one are reminders that we should take steps to protect ourselves at home and during travel, the risk of having a person become infected with Zika virus while here in Pima County remains low,” Garcia said.
Officials urged county residents to decrease the threat of mosquito-borne diseases by using mosquito repellent, wearing pants and loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeve shirts. Residents should remove objects from their yards that collect water and dump standing water.
Residents also should protect themselves with mosquito repellent and appropriate clothing while traveling and contact their health-care provider if they feel ill upon their return to Pima County.
