Zika Virus Comes to the U.S. via Pennsylvania University

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Feb 11, 2016

Zika Virus Comes to the U.S. via Pennsylvania University

A student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania has tested positive for the Zika virus.

The Blaze reports that the student at the college, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about an hour north of Philadelphia, had traveled abroad during the winter break and likely got infected with the virus during that time.

The student is reported to be doing well, and health officials say the student’s case does not pose a risk to others. 

Sixty-six cases of the virus have been reported in the U.S., including two women in Pennsylvania and one woman in Delaware. It is not known whether the Lehigh student is included as one of the two reported Pennsylvania cases of the virus.

All cases have been contracted by those who traveled abroad. The virus is contracted from mosquito bites. The type of mosquito which spreads the virus is not common in the U.S., but officials believe the number of cases of the virus will increase as more U.S. citizens contract the virus abroad and bring it back home.

Lehigh University has posted updates regarding the virus on its Facebook page

Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Publication date: February 11, 2016



Zika Virus Comes to the U.S. via Pennsylvania University