First Zika virus case confirmed in Bexar County

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the first case of Zika in Bexar County.

Metro Health also has additional possible infections under investigation. The health district announced on Friday that six people from Bexar County were being tested for the virus.

All are associated with travel to affected areas. The individual has now recovered and is virus-free.

The Zika virus is part of the same family as the viruses that cause yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue fever. Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. It can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby during pregnancy or around the time of birth. About one in five people infected with Zika will get sick. According to the World Health Organization, which met today, most cases will have no symptoms but the virus has been linked to brain abnormalities in thousands of babies in Brazil.

Common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.