Mosquito capable of carrying Zika virus found in SW Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma State Department of Health says the mosquito that carries the Zika virus has been discovered in southwestern Oklahoma, but no cases of the illness have been recorded in the region.

The department said Thursday that the Aedes aegypti mosquito was detected in Altus. In previous years, the tropical mosquito had been detected in Oklahoma and Comanche counties.

So far, there have been no cases of local transmission of Zika anywhere in the United States. The 1,400 infections reported in the U.S. have been linked to travel to countries with Zika outbreaks in Latin America or the Caribbean.

Oklahoma has recorded 13 Zika cases involving international travel, but none of those involved a person in southwest Oklahoma.