The first case of a person infected with the Zika virus has been reported in Hamilton County, according to health department officials.
While the person’s identity was no disclosed, health officials say the individual recently returned from a country where the Zika virus is widespread.
“We have expected that a travel-related case would occur within our county and we anticipate there will be more such cases,” says Dr. Valerie Boaz, Health Department Medical Director. “What is of paramount importance is that we work to prevent local transmission of the Zika virus.”
Health department officials did not reveal the neighborhood where the infected person lives, but said they are now going door-to-door in that neighborhood to see if anyone else has been infected.
About 80 percent of those infected with Zika will experience no symptoms at all, health officials said. The virus will cause only a mild illness in the remaining 20 percent.