First Zika case in Tenn. tied to S. American trip

State Health Department officials have confirmed the state’s first case of the Zika virus in East Tennessee, and officials in Shelby County are making preparations for a case here.

The infected person had recently traveled to South America before returning home to eastern Tennessee, health officials say. The virus was not acquired in Tennessee, state Health Department spokeswoman Shelley Walker said.

Officials are not identify- ing the infected person.

The Shelby County Health Department is making preparations in case a local resident contracts the virus, spokeswoman Elizabeth Hart said. The department recommends that travelers review recommendations issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before visiting countries where the virus has been spreading.

The local Zika threat, however, will become more pervasive with the arrival

of mosquito season this spring. Shelby County is home to the Asian tiger mosquito, one of the 48 species known to transmit the virus.

In the wake of the announcement of the Zika case in East Tennessee, the local department on Tuesday posted a blog link on Twitter advising residents to eliminate water-filled containers that could serve as mosquito-breeding sites in their yards and to wear repellent and loose-fitting shirts and long pants when mosquitoes are active.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus spreading rapidly across Latin America. Most people who get it experience only minor symptoms, if any at all, but the virus has been linked to a devastating birth defect that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned pregnant women about traveling in the affected countries.

The World Health Organization has called the spread of the virus a global health emergency.

To date, about 50 cases of Zika have been confirmed in at least 13 states and Washington, D.C. One case in Texas was sexually transmitted and the other cases in the U.S. are linked with travel to affected areas.

Health officials in Tennessee say they have been expecting an imported case of the virus.

“While public health and medical professionals have a good body of knowledge about many mosquitoborne diseases, there is still much to learn about Zika virus disease,” state Health Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner said in a prepared statement. “At present there are still questions about its transmission through sex and other avenues. Pregnant women or people who develop a fever within one week of returning from an affected country should contact their personal health care professional for advice.”

State officials say those planning on traveling to warmer climates for spring break should wear insect repellent and clothing to protect themselves from mosquitoes.