The Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday reported the first case of a pregnant woman infected with Zika who had not traveled outside of the state.
The woman, a resident of San Antonio, reportedly traveled to Brownsville around the same time six residents of that community contracted Zika from local mosquitoes.
"The infection could have been transmitted by mosquitoes or through sexual contact with a partner who was infected. DSHS urges everyone, especially pregnant women, to continue to protect themselves from mosquito bites when visiting Brownsville and other parts of the state where mosquito activity continues throughout the winter months," said the state health department in an update.
Zika is a mosquito-borne infection associated with neurologically debilitating birth defects in babies born to infected mothers. The most notable defect is microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with abnormally small heads.
To learn more about Zika, click here.
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