First case of the Zika virus officially found in Washington state
Feb 22, 2016, 5:18 PM | Updated: 5:31 pm
The first documented case of the Zika virus has been found in Washington state.
Officials with the Washington State Department of Health announced Monday that a Mason County man tested positive for the virus at a Thurston County hospital.
So far, the only cases of Zika in the United States have been among people who have traveled to areas with the virus and have returned to the states infected with it, according to the Center for Disease Control.
The Mason County man, in his 20s, recently visited the South Pacific where he likely caught the virus.
The Zika virus is more often a mild sickness for those infected. The greatest concern is for pregnant women as the virus can cause severe birth defects.
