Virginia and Minnesota became the sixth and seventh states to report a Zika virus infection, as local officials confirmed Wednesday that adult residents who traveled out of the country have the virus.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that has been potentially linked to birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for 20 countries and territories for pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant. The territories and countries include Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Virginia’s Department of Health said Wednesday that lab testing confirmed that a Virginia resident who recently traveled to one of the countries under the advisory. The infected person hasn’t spread the virus to U.S. residents, the same as in the other states that have found Zika infections.
“Zika virus infection in this individual serves as a reminder that people in Virginia can acquire the disease during travel to countries where Zika virus transmission is occurring,” the department said.
A similar situation occurred in Minnesota, as a traveler from Honduras returned to the state and was confirmed to have the virus, the state’s health department said.
Other infections have been reported in Texas, Illinois, Hawaii, New Jersey and Texas.
