Dept. of Health confirms first Zika virus case in NM

The first case of Zika virus in New Mexico has been confirmed by the state Department of Health.

Deputy Secretary of Health Lynn Gallagher said at a 6 p.m. news conference the patient is a 46-year-old Bernalillo County man who contracted the virus while traveling in El Salvador.

Gallagher said the Centers for Disease Control confirmed the positive test Friday. Testing was conducted in Fort Collins, Colorado.

“We have anticipated that travel-related cases would be identified in New Mexico,” said Gallagher. “We have been working closely with CDC to prepare for Zika cases in New Mexico.”

The Zika virus is transmitted primarily through mosquitos, but can also be transmitted through semen. The CDC has recommended that men and pregnant women traveling to affected areas abstain from sex or use condoms.

The CDC says that as of March 16, there have been 258 cases of Zika reported in the United States. 18 of those people were pregnant women and six of their cases were sexually transmitted.

The New Mexico Department of Health reminded everyone to be mindful of what regions in the world the Zika virus is circulating before traveling. The man infected first felt sick while still in El Salvador. He came back to New Mexico to see a doctor and was tested for the virus. The CDC confirmed he tested positive, but that doesn’t mean New Mexicans should be panicking about an outbreak here at home just yet.

Dr. Fermin Arguello, Medical Epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health says, “the primary reason for that is that in the area where he lives, there’s not known to be the mosquito that actually is capable of transmitting that virus. So we’re not concerned that this is a threat to New Mexico in regards to causing cycles of transmission here.”

The county doesn’t have the mosquito that transmits the virus, however there’s a risk of it being transmitted sexually. Representatives from the Department of Health tell us this man, who they say has recovered, has been educated on the risks. Although right now, there’s no knowledge of how long the virus can stay in your system.

A list of countries affected by the virus can be found here.

For more information about Zika virus, visithttp://nmhealth.org/news/information/2016/2/?view=387 andhttp://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/index.html.

This is a developing news story; stay posted to KOB.com for the latest updates.