The Zika virus has been a subject of discussion for quite a while now. And with a recent case of the virus being considered non-travel related, that's not going to change any time soon.
As of July 13, there have been 1,306 reported cases of Zika in the United States. All of these cases have been travel related, which means that up to this point, no victim had been infected by a local mosquito. Now, after the first Zika related death in the U.S, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is looking into a possible non-travel related cause of the virus.
At the end of June, a Salt Lake County resident passed away after contracting the virus from a relative. At first, it was believed that the resident had recently traveled to an undisclosed location where the virus is circulating. After further investigation, though, health officials believe the woman's case may have come from a local source and is not travel related. Though the virus may not be the sole cause of death, it is believed to have contributed.
The Florida Department of Health and the CDC are also investigating a possible non-travel related case of Zika in Miami-Dade County. They have officially ruled out travel or sexual transmission as cause for the case. 
Though not necessarily dangerous for all people, Zika can have dire effects on pregnant women and their babies.
Zika virus is known to cause Microcephaly in babies of women who contract the virus during pregnancy. Microcephaly is a birth defect that results in an abnormally small head, leading to other health complications.
More recently, Zika has also been linked to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which causes the immune system to attack the body's own nerves. One symptom of Guillain-Barre Syndrome includes temporary paralysis.
While health officials attempt to locate the local source of these cases, we wait patiently for the eradication of this dangerous condition.
Though not necessarily dangerous for all people, Zika can have dire effects on pregnant women and their babies.
Zika virus is known to cause Microcephaly in babies of women who contract the virus during pregnancy. Microcephaly is a birth defect that results in an abnormally small head, leading to other health complications.
More recently, Zika has also been linked to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which causes the immune system to attack the body's own nerves. One symptom of Guillain-Barre Syndrome includes temporary paralysis.
While health officials attempt to locate the local source of these cases, we wait patiently for the eradication of this dangerous condition.