Travis County Confirms First Case of Zika Virus

On Thursday, Feb. 4th, Travis County confirmed its first case of Zika Virus. The virus is contracted several ways, including bodily fluid and sexual contact, though the main form of contraction is the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is being spread mostly from Central and South America though warmer weather this summer could facilitate a more rapid spread. Though the virus is believed to do little more than make the victim slightly feverish and show cold or flu symptoms, it possibly has another much more devastating side effect that we should all be very aware of. The World Health Organization called the virus a "public health emergency" because it has been linked to Microcephaly, a severe mental, physical, and developmental birth condition characterized visually by severely under developed brains and undersized skulls in children. Here is a link the the Texas Tribune article highlighting the virus and its possible spread further into Texas.