At an unrelated event this morning, Governor Mike Pence, R-Indiana, stated the individual infected with Zika virus is located in Grant County.
Update February 9, 2016 11:40 a.m.
Indiana State Health Officials say there is very little risk of Zika virus being contracted in Indiana.
"The risk in Indiana residents at this time is limited to people who have traveled to countries where Zika virus transmission is actively occurring," says Dr. Jennifer Brown, public health veterinarian for the Indiana State Department of Health. "However, we're monitoring the situation very carefully and if we believe that the risk is changing for residents of Indiana, we would of course let the members of the public know."
Indiana conducts surveillance for mosquito borne viruses by collecting and testing mosquito from each county in Indiana every summer.
"If we uncovered evidence that local transmission of Zika virus is occurring, we would be able to ramp up our control efforts very quickly, because we're already doing very similar activities for West Nile virus," Brown says.
The CDC reports there are 35 cases of Zika in the United States, and all of those were contracted during travel.
The primary focus is on pregnant women due to the apparent connection to the birth defect microcephaly. At a press conference Tuesday, Brown said that pregnant women should not travel to areas where Zika can be contracted.
The Indiana State Department of Health has confirmed the first case of Zika virus in Indiana.
The individual, who has not been named, is a non-pregnant resident of Indiana who recently traveled to Haiti. Officials say the person was not ill enough to be hospitalized.
"Pregnant women should not travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is occurring. Everyone else must weigh the risks against the benefits of travel and make the choice that feels right for them," said Dr. Jennifer Brown, public health veterinarian for the Indiana State Department of Health, in a statement. "People who choose to travel can reduce their risk of Zika virus infection by taking rigorous precautions to prevent mosquito bites."
Indiana officials have said there is little likelihood of widespread cases in Indiana.
The virus is most often spread through bites from a particular type of infected mosquito.
"The risk of contracting Zika virus here in Indiana remains low, but we know that many residents are concerned," said State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams in a statement. "We urge anyone visiting affected areas to take steps to avoid mosquito bites."
As NPR reports, the Zika virus has spread exponentially over the past several months:
Researchers have been able to trace the gradual spread of Zika - slowly for decades and then, in the words of World Health Organization head Dr. Margaret Chan, "explosively" since 2015, when it was first detected in Brazil. Now the virus has reached more than 20 countries and territories in the Americas. In Brazil, there have been 500,000-plus cases. Thousands of babies have been born in Zika-affected regions with the birth defect microcephaly (although a causal relationship has not yet been scientifically established).
