Chicago woman tests positive for Zika Virus

The first case of Zika virus in Philly has been reported, ABC Philly reports.

The patient, who was identified as a woman in her 30s, visited Chicago’s Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in late January, after returning from a trip to Columbia with symptoms consistent with the virus.

Officials said the woman, who’s not pregnant, went to the doctor for what she thought was a viral infection but was not hospitalized. However, in May, the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil was recognized, and infection has been spreading in South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico. It also can be transmitted through sexual intercourse and from a mother to a fetus.

The mosquito that most commonly transmits Zika (Aedes aegypti) is not found in Philadelphia.

The woman has fully recovered, according to multiple media reports. While scientists have seen a possible correlation between the virus and severe birth defects, such as microcephaly, researchers have yet to confirm a link. Health officials expect the number of Zika infections to rise after students take warm-weather vacations on spring break.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, rash, conjunctivitis and joint aches that usually cease within a week. -Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside and are not able to protect -Use an EPA-registered insect repellent, in accord with the manufacturer’s directions.

More than 100 travel-associated cases have been reported in the United States as of last Wednesday, including four in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.