Yolo County Resident Tests Positive For Zika Virus

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A Yolo County resident has tested positive for the Zika virus.

The unidentified Yolo County resident who tested positive for the virus had recently traveled out of the country and only has a mild case of the virus, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the CDC.

"Yolo County residents traveling to Central or South America or the Caribbean, where Zika is present, should take precautions against mosquitoes," said Yolo County Health Officer Ron Chapman, MD, MPH. "If you are pregnant, consider postponing your trip. All travelers to areas where Zika is present should go to their doctor if they experience any of the symptoms associated with Zika within three to seven days after they return. Pregnant women who have recently traveled to an area with Zika should talk to a healthcare provider about their travel even if they don't feel sick."

The most common symptoms of the virus are fever, rash, joint pain and red, itchy eyes, the CDC says.

Symptoms are usually mild and last several days to a week. Many people who have Zika will not experience symptoms. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Zika.

Ways to avoid mosquito bites include:

• Using an insect repellant containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus;
• Wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers;
• Using air conditioning or window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside; and
• Reducing the number of mosquitoes inside and outside your home by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets. Mosquitoes can breed in as little amount of water as a bottle cap.

As the Zika virus spreads, more attention is being put on a birth defect that affects as many as 12 in every 10,000 babies born in the United States.

Dr. Dean Blumberg with UC Davis Children's Hospital says when a baby is born with a small head, there is less room for the brain, which can lead to a host of problems.

"The vast majority of these children born with microcephaly are going to suffer permanent neurological damage," he said. "It can affect language, some of these children may not be able to communicate, it might affect their hearing and their sight. They may be blind from this. It may affect their motor development, so they may not be able to walk or reach or grab some things or feed themselves."

Children with microcephaly are also at risk for issues such as facial distortion, short stature, seizures and cerebral palsy.