ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — The Allegheny County Health Department received confirmation Tuesday that a county resident had tested positive for the Zika virus.
The man had been tested in February after he traveled to an area where the virus has been rampant, health department officials said during a press conference Tuesday. No additional details about the man were disclosed, per the department’s privacy policy.
However, officials did say the man had since recovered and is OK.
The man was tested after his doctor referred his case to the local health department, which then transferred his case to the state and on to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health department officials said at this time, there isn't an urgent enough need to change the process in Pennsylvania.
So far, 50 people in Allegheny County have been tested for the virus, with only the one man testing positive.
Doctors say the biggest risk of all remains the potential effects of the virus on an unborn fetus.
“Overall, the risk of contracting in Allegheny County is very, very small to say the least, but we still urge caution to those who are considering travel to any of the countries currently affected by Zika. In particular, our highest concern is for pregnant women who we actually advise not to travel at this point in time,” Dr. Karen Hacker, Allegheny County Health Department director, said.
The health department said only 20 percent of those with the virus will actually show symptoms.
Typically symptoms include a fever, rash, aches and pains and red eyes.
County officials said they plan to aggressively address mosquitoes, though the ones in Pennsylvania are different than the mosquitoes in the South, which are more likely to carry the virus.