Post by Logan on Jul 9, 2016 4:01:35 GMT -6
Utahn infected with Zika dies, becoming first death in continental U.S. related to virus
A Salt Lake County resident who tested positive for Zika virus died last month, becoming the first confirmed death related to the virus in the continental U.S.
The county Health Department announced the death Friday, saying the exact cause has not been determined. The individual, who had an underlying medical condition and was elderly, traveled this year somewhere mosquitoes are known to spread Zika, according to a news release.
"We know it contributed to [the death], but we don't know if it was the sole cause," said Dagmar Vitek, the department's medical director.
The department learned about this earlier this week. It does not plan to release additional details about the individual or where he or she traveled because of "health privacy laws," the release adds.
Read more: www.sltrib.com/news/4095914-155/utahn-infected-with-zika-dies-becoming
A Salt Lake County resident who tested positive for Zika virus died last month, becoming the first confirmed death related to the virus in the continental U.S.
The county Health Department announced the death Friday, saying the exact cause has not been determined. The individual, who had an underlying medical condition and was elderly, traveled this year somewhere mosquitoes are known to spread Zika, according to a news release.
"We know it contributed to [the death], but we don't know if it was the sole cause," said Dagmar Vitek, the department's medical director.
The department learned about this earlier this week. It does not plan to release additional details about the individual or where he or she traveled because of "health privacy laws," the release adds.
Read more: www.sltrib.com/news/4095914-155/utahn-infected-with-zika-dies-becoming