A Noxubee County resident has been diagnosed with the Zika virus.
The Mississippi State Department of Health announced the diagnosis this morning. The initial diagnosis was made at a Columbus clinic.
Dr. Slater Lowry told The Dispatch this morning his clinic — Lowry Medical Clinic — made the presumptive diagnosis on Feb. 25. His office then contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
On Thursday, the CDC contacted Lowry’s office and confirmed the diagnosis, according to Lowry.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that may cause birth defects if contracted during pregnancy. The virus is primarily spread through bites from a specific mosquito. Zika virus infection can cause a mild illness with symptoms including fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. However, 80 percent of those infected show no symptoms and death is rare, according to MSDH.
The Noxubee County resident had recently traveled to Haiti, according to state health officials.
This is the second Zika diagnosis in Mississippi.
The first was diagnosed in a Madison County resident, according to state health officials. That person had also recently traveled to Haiti, according to state health officials.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Lowry’s clinic said the Noxubee County resident is doing well.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Dobbs urged residents to be mindful of protecting themselves from mosquitoes while traveling to countries with Zika outbreaks, including Mexico or countries in South America and the Caribbean.
There are no available treatments or vaccines for Zika virus.
There have been 273 cases of the Zika virus in the U.S., according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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