BREAKING: First Zika Case Transmitted In U.S. Reported In Texas

DALLAS, Texas — The first case of Zika virus transmitted in the United States was reported in Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to Patch, and local health officials say the infection was spread through sexual contact.

The CDC confirmed the Zika case through lab testing and said it was the first U.S. infection in a non-traveler. The Dallas services conducted a follow-up to determine the method of transmission.

The person was infected after they had sexual contact with someone who had recently returned from a country where the virus is present, Dallas County Health and Human Services said in a press release.

The patient had sexual contact with someone who had travelled to Venezuela, one of 28 countries under a travel advisory from the CDC. The services did not provide any other identifying information about the patient.

Zika virus is primarily transmitted by mosquitos but can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Several reports have linked Zika in mothers with Microcephaly in infants, the CDC says, a potentially life-threatening birth defect where a baby’s head is smaller than expected.

Otherwise, only one in five people with the virus become ill for several days to a week, the CDC says, and symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis.

To avoid getting the virus, the CDC recommends first taking the proper precautions against mosquito bites, like wearing long sleeves and using insect repellant.

The center said to avoid exposure to semen of anyone who has traveled to an affected country, and wearing a condom is the best method of preventing sexually transmitted diseases.

This is a breaking story. Refresh this page for updates as they become available.