Zika virus makes its way to Southeast Alaska

Before this week, Alaska was one of four U.S. states with zero confirmed Zika virus cases, but that’s over now.

On Thursday, the Alaska Division of Public Health detected a positive Zika virus sample from a test that officials in Anchorage received from the Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital (MEH) in Sitka. According to a press release from the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), a doctor at MEH diagnosed a man visiting the state with the virus on July 18, then treated and released him. At no point was he admitted.

State health officials said the man’s symptoms included a full-body rash, fever and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

“We have tested about 60 people for the Zika virus infection in Alaska since December, but only a handful of those people have actually had symptoms,” said State Epidemiologist and Chief Dr. Joe McLaughlin.

At MEH, this month’s case marks the second time the hospital has tested for the Zika virus, according to Prevention Specialist Katy Pugh. The first test was several months ago and tested negative.

McLaughlin said the Zika patient recently visited Nicaragua, then went to his home in the Midwest before traveling to Alaska. It was shortly after leaving Nicaragua that the man experienced symptoms. There is currently no treatment for the Zika virus, but the patient in Sitka received supportive health care for his symptoms before leaving. McLaughlin said the patient, who was only in the state for work, left a few days after his treatment. Because the Zika virus results were only made official on Thursday, his physician has since notified him that he was in fact infected with the Zika virus.

In the U.S., there have been over 1,400 cases of Zika, not including territories, according to the Centers for Disease Control. McLaughlin said almost all of those cases are the direct result of traveling to the Central or South America regions.

“The virus is still very active in those regions,” McLaughlin said. “There’s not vaccine for Zika … the only thing you can do is not go to those countries, or if you do go, make sure you’re taking adequate precautions.”

McLaughlin said avoiding mosquito contact as best as possible is advised when visiting other countries and, because the virus is sexually transmitted, proper condom use is also necessary if a partner may have been exposed to the virus.

The Zika virus is primarily transmitted through a bite by an infected Aedes species mosquito, and people infected can transmit it to others through sexual activity or intravenous drug use. Alaska mosquitoes are not capable of transmitting the Zika virus, and health officials, including McLaughlin, said there is no risk of a local mosquito-borne transmission. McLaughlin said a priority for health officials is keeping the virus from expectant women.

[CDC: Zika causes severe birth defects]

“Our biggest concern is making sure that pregnant mothers are not exposed to the virus,” McLaughlin said.

SEARHC officials said there is no chance the virus will affect the Sitka community. Hospital staff have thoroughly disinfected the area where staff treated the patient, according to SEARHC, and have taken infection control precautions to secure patient safety and environment of care for staff and patients.

“This case is not a concern in terms of the virus spreading through Alaska mosquitoes, but it does reinforce the importance of knowing preventative measures,” said Dr. Jay Butler, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer and Director of Public Health.

[Health official: Alaskans at low risk for Zika virus]

McLaughlin said hospital officials did everything in a timely manner and executed the necessary measures properly once Zika was suspected in their patient.

Further information about the Zika virus is available at dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/Pages/Zika.aspx or cdc.gov/zika/.