CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Corpus Christi health officials confirmed the first case of Zika virus in Nueces County on Thursday.
According to the Caller-Times, the patient is a female that gave birth in May.
The patient told health officials she was diagnosed with Zika early in her pregnancy while in Mexico.
She returned to the area and sought diagnosis from health officials.
TRENDING STORY ON KSAT.COM: Vehicle carrying venomous snakes crashes in South Bexar County
TOP STORY ON KSAT.COM: Leakey man accused in fatal church bus crash indicted
Health officials confirmed the diagnosis and sent test results to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the Caller-Times, the case is considered travel related since she was diagnosed in Mexico.
The virus is spread by mosquito bites and can cause severe birth defects in babies, among other health issues.
According to The Associated Press, the Zika virus may not seem as big a threat as last summer but people should not let their guard down, especially if women are pregnant or trying to be.
While Zika cases have dropped sharply from last year's peak in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, Zika hasn't disappeared from the region and remains a potential threat.
For now, pregnant women still are being urged not to travel to a country or area with even a few reported cases of Zika, because the consequences can be disastrous for a fetus' brain.
--------------------------------------------------------
Don't miss a thing. Get email alerts from KSAT12 today.
Get alerted to news events as they happen or sign up for a scheduled news headline email that is delivered right to your inbox. Breaking news, severe weather, daily forecasts, entertainment news, all of the day’s important events to keep you up to date wherever you are.
Sign up today. It's Free.