Summit County Public Health was notified by the Ohio Department of Health on Thursday that a resident that traveled to a Zika Virus infected country in late February has tested positive for disease, according to a release.
Pregnancy is not an issue with the infected individual and since the Zika Virus is spread primarily by the bite of a mosquito, the person is not infectious, SCPH reported. The person did not contract Zika in Ohio.
“This local case is not a threat to the public health of Summit County residents,” said Dr. Marguerite Erme, Medical Director, SCPH.
SCPH said the illness was mild and hospitalization was not required. The person is currently symptom free. To protect privacy, SCPH will not release any additional details regarding the infected individual.
The most commonly seen symptoms of the Zika Virus include fever, joint pain, rash or red eyes, according to SCPH. Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. About 80 percent of infected individuals have no Zika Virus symptoms at all and hospitalizations and deaths are very rare. Symptoms are usually mild and appear two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
“The primary mosquito that carries the Zika Virus Disease, the Aedes aegypti, has not been seen in Summit County based on mosquito surveillance conducted by SCPH,” according to SCPH Environmental Health Director, Bob Hasenyager.
Zika Virus Disease can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her child during pregnancy or at time of birth. The most serious complications linked to Zika Virus Disease are Microcephaly and other types of birth defects and Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition that attacks the immune system and can cause paralysis. Zika Virus Disease in rare cases has also been transmitted sexually from male to female. Since there is neither a vaccine nor medications available to prevent Zika Virus Disease infection, pregnant women and women who may become pregnant should take recommended precautions:
* If you are pregnant, postpone travel to the countries where Zika Virus Disease transmission is ongoing.
* If your male sexual partner has traveled to, or lives in an area with, active Zika Virus Disease transmission, condoms should be used for the duration of the pregnancy. Discuss your male partner’s potential exposures and history of Zika-like illness with your doctor.
* If you are trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before you travel about your plans to become pregnant and the risk associated with Zika Virus Disease.
* If you are pregnant or may become pregnant and must travel to one of these areas, talk to your doctor first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.
* If you are not pregnant, but your male partner lives in or has traveled to a country with Zika Virus Disease, consider using condoms.
Individuals who have traveled, or plan to travel, to areas where Zika Virus Disease transmission is ongoing could be at risk for exposure. For the most up to date list of Zika Virus Disease infected countries please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices. The positive case in Summit County is one of nine positive cases in Ohio and one of 346 positive cases nationally; all cases of Zika Virus Disease reported in the United States have been travel related.
Summit County residents should take precautions to protect against all mosquito borne illnesses as the weather gets warmer and people are spending more time outside during peak mosquito hours.
* Wear long sleeves and long pants when mosquitoes are most active.
* Use an EPA-approved repellent on skin and clothes.
* Stay in places with air conditioning or use screens on the windows or doors to keep mosquitoes out.
* Help reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.
For more information on Zika Virus Disease please visit www.scphoh.org.
