Tri-City man tests positive for Zika virus

A Franklin County man in his 30s who recently traveled to Mexico has tested positive for Zika virus, the Benton-Franklin Health District announced Wednesday.

This is the first Zika case in the Tri-Cities but Tri-Citians shouldn’t panic, said Dr. Amy Person, health officer for the district.

The virus passes to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes, and the kind of mosquito that carries it doesn’t live in the Pacific Northwest, she said.

But once people have become infected, they can pass it to a partner through sexual contact, she said.

“Local residents are not at risk for contracting Zika virus unless they travel to a Zika-affected area, including Central and South America, or have unprotected sexual relations with someone who has the virus,” Person said.

The Franklin County man apparently contracted the virus through travel. More information about him wasn’t available. Person said the health district doesn’t generally release details about specific cases for privacy reasons.

Most people who contract the virus have few or no symptoms. However, it can lead to severe birth defects such as microcephaly, and it’s been linked to miscarriages and Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can involve temporary paralysis, the health district said.

“Women who are pregnant or might become pregnant should avoid travel to areas with active Zika virus transmissions. Additionally, they should abstain from sex or use condoms if their partner has traveled to one of these areas,” Person said.

For more information on Zika virus, including a map of areas with active transmissions, go to cdc.gov/Zika/.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 8:08 AM with the headline "Tri-City man tests positive for Zika virus."