Texas official: Zika patient likely contracted virus in Texas

HOUSTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- A resident in the southern Texas who was previously diagnosed with Zika most likely contracted the virus in Texas, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said Wednesday in a news release.

According to the DSHS, the resident of the Hidalgo County, located in the border area with Mexico, had not recently traveled outside the area and had not had any other risk factors. Therefore the infection was probably transmitted by a mosquito bite in the South Texas region sometime in the last few months.

Laboratory testing showed the individual is no longer at risk of spreading the virus to mosquitoes, DSHS said.

There is no evidence of ongoing Zika transmission in the state at this time, but public health officials are continuing to conduct human and mosquito surveillance to find any future Zika infections as early as possible, the DSHS release said.

Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a birth defect of the brain called microcephaly and other severe brain defects. It is also linked to other problems, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and other birth defects. Enditem