Zika Virus now in Houston; Acquired From Traveling Patient

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm the first case of the mosquito-borne disease Zika virus in Houston.

According to the Harris Country Public Health & Environmental Services, the disease has been found in a traveler who recently returned home to Texas from Latin America, as per Houston Chronicle. The patient exhibited fever, rash and joint pain, which are symptoms associated with the Zika virus.

Officials did not reveal the exact location from where the said patient acquired the disease nor the exact time of contraction, Time reported. However, they said that the patient acquired the disease while traveling over the holidays.

Zika virus is spread through mosquito bites. According to the CDC, the illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting only for a several days. It is uncommon, however, for the disease to cause an infected person to be hospitalized.

The virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition in which babies in the womb have incompletely developed brains and skulls, and end up either deformed or abnormally small. This condition often leads to mental retardation.

It has also been linked to the Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition in which the immune system attacks a body's nerves. Both connections are still under investigation.

Outbreaks of the virus have already been recorded in different parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas. And because the disease is spread through the Aedes species mosquitoes which are found around the world, it is highly likely that the disease will be also found in new territories.

Currently there is no preventive vaccine nor medicines that could treat the virus. As such, prevention is key and all precautionary measures should be taken to avoid being infected with the virus.

The CDC recommended that all people, especially pregnant women, should use insect repellent and wear long-sleeved clothing as well as pants when traveling to places where Zika virus has been confirmed. Additionally, people are advised to stay in accommodations that have air conditioning or those that use windows with screens.

"Prevention is key to reducing the risk of Zika virus infection," Dr. Umair A. Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services, told CBS news.

"Zika virus infections occur throughout the world,” Shah continued. “We encourage individuals traveling to areas where the virus has been identified to protect themselves against mosquito bites, and to contact their healthcare provider immediately if they develop Zika virus-like symptoms."