Grant County reports first Zika case

Grant County confirmed its first case of Zika virus Friday.

A resident who was likely exposed while traveling in Mexico tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus. The unidentified patient was not hospitalized and has recovered from the illness.

There have been 22 confirmed Zika cases in Washington. All have been associated with travel to countries where mosquitoes are known to carry the virus.

The Grant County case poses no risk to the public, health officials said. Zika is transmitted by mosquito bites, and the strain of mosquitoes that carry the virus does not live in the Northwest.

In other mosquito-borne virus news, the Benton County Mosquito Control District will begin aerial spraying for adult mosquitoes at sunset Aug. 13 in the Grandview and Prosser areas. West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes trapped at multiple locations in the region, including the Yakima River delta and the area between Mabton and Prosser.

The district’s fogging schedule is posted at mosquitocontrol.org/fogging.

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Grant County reports first Zika case."