Washington’s 12th Zika virus case confirmed in Washington

TACOMA – Health officials have confirmed Pierce County’s first case of Zika virus.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said Monday that the state’s most recent case was a man in his 20s who recently traveled to Puerto Rico, the New Tribune of Tacoma reported.

The man returned from Puerto Rico last Wednesday. The man, whose identity has not been released, was not hospitalized and is recovering, health officials said.

The man is the 12th known case of Zika virus in the state. All have been associated with travel to regions where Zika cases are spreading.

The virus is known to be transmitted by bites from infected mosquitoes, sexual contact and blood transfusions. It also can be passed from a mother to a fetus.