Third Zika case confirmed in Clark County
A third case of Zika virus disease has been confirmed in Clark County, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.
The case, reported in a Clark County woman who recently visited the Dominican Republic, was announced three days after Washoe County confirmed its first Zika case. This is the fourth confirmed case in Nevada.
Southern Nevada Health District Chief Health Officer Joseph Iser said he could imagine Clark County seeing dozens of cases by the time summer is over. Common Zika symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes.
The district has sent samples from 28 people for further Zika testing and has received 22 results.
Two Clark County residents — a man who traveled to Guatemala and a woman who visited Brazil — were previously confirmed to have Zika virus disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday that there is a definitive causal link between Zika and severe fetal brain defects.
“While a woman infected with Zika during pregnancy is at increased risk of having a baby with health problems, it does not mean that all women will have babies with health problems,” the health district release said.
There is no vaccine or specific treatment for Zika, though 80 percent of people who have it don’t exhibit symptoms, according to the health district and CDC.
The illness can be transmitted by mosquitoes, through sex and from a mother to a child during pregnancy. Researchers are also investigating the possibility that the virus can be transmitted through blood transfusion.
Contact Pashtana Usufzy at pusufzy@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Find @pashtana_u on Twitter.
