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Texas confirms first Zika virus; but sexually transmitted

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The first case of sexually transmitted Zika Virus has been confirmed in Texas, USA by a local health officer. The officer said the virus is more likely to be transmitted through sex and not a mosquito bite.

“With Zika we don’t know exactly how long someone can remain infectious but in this case as we understand it, someone had just gotten sick with Zika. And that individual’s sexual partner then developed Zika without a travel history. The CDC laboratory confirmed that both individuals do have recent Zika infection,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden said.

Dallas county Health and Human Services received confirmation of the first case of the virus infection in Dallas from the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention.

You've heard about on the news; view some Zika Virus facts here: https://t.co/8zxXfNiPXd pic.twitter.com/9XyJ8WEHv3

— City of Dallas (@1500Marilla) February 2, 2016

The county department said on Twitter that the person was infected through sexual contact with someone who had traveled to Venezuela. The person infected did not travel to the South American country, county health officials said.

They further reaffirmed that there were no reports of the virus being transmitted through mosquitoes in Texas county.

The virus has has been thought to spread through mosquito bite contributed to deaths of several babies in South America. The CDC promised to give guidelines as more information about the transmission will be explored. Thy have also urged people to use condoms to protect themselves from the virus.

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