JACKSON, Miss. — A second case of the Zika virus has been confirmed in the state of Mississippi.
The case was reported to the Mississippi Department of Health from Noxubee County.
Reports indicate the person had recently returned from a trip to Haiti.
This first case of the virus was reported in Madison County on Thursday.
That person had also just returned from Haiti.
The news comes just hours after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its updated guidelines for those in areas where the virus has been reported.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that may cause birth defects in children if contracted during pregnancy.
Other symptoms of the virus include fever, joint pain, conjunctivitis or rash that lasts for several days.
Six cases of the Zika virus being contracted from sexual activity have been confirmed.
The MSDH advises that precautions should be taken by all travelers to countries with Zika outbreaks.
Precautions for travelers include basic protective measures against mosquito-borne illnesses such as using a recommended mosquito repellent that contains DEET while you are outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are prevalent, and wearing loose, light-colored clothing to cover the arms and legs when outdoors during the day or night.
Travelers recently returning from countries with ongoing Zika transmission should take special precautions to avoid mosquito bites in Mississippi to avoid transmitting the virus to local mosquitoes.
There are no available treatments or vaccines for Zika virus.
