Zika in Texas

Zika virus is primarily spread to people through mosquito bites. The virus can be spread from mother to child. Spread of the virus through blood transfusion and sexual contact has also been reported.

Most people infected with the virus have mild or no symptoms. For those who do develop symptoms, illness is generally mild and typically lasts a few days to a week. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and fatalities are rare. An increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome was noted during an outbreak of Zika virus in French Polynesia in 2014. An increase in microcephaly was noted during an outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil in 2015.

What's New?

Sept. 12, 2016 – Updated Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika Testing Supplemental Information Form (65 kb, PDF)andChikungunya, Dengue, and Zika PCR and Serology Specimen Criteria guidance document (245 kb, PDF)
Aug. 30, 2016 – Zika Communications Toolkit II now available
Aug. 15, 2016 – Texas Zika Illness Linked to Miami Travel

Reported Cases

Zika Virus – September 19, 2016.

Texas has had 195 reported cases of Zika virus disease. All the cases were associated with travel to an area where Zika is being spread. This count includes 12 pregnant women, two infants infected before birth, and two people who had sexual contact with travelers.

Texas Zika Cases by County:

County	Cases
Angelina	1
Bell	6
Bexar	13
Brazos	3
Burnet	1
Cameron	1
Collin	5
Dallas	35
Denton	6
El Paso	3
Ellis	1
Fort Bend	7
Frio	1
Gray	1
Galveston	6
Grayson	1
Gregg	1
Hamilton	1
Harris	55
Jefferson	2
Lee	1
Lubbock	1
Matagorda	1
Medina	1
Midland	1
Montgomery	1
Palo Pinto	1
Randall	1
Tarrant	21
Travis	5
Upshur	1
Val Verde	1
Walker	1
Williamson	6
Webb	1
Wise	1
Total	195

Note: Zika case data for Texas will be updated each weekday no later than 11 a.m.

National Zika Pregnancy Registry

September 16, 2016 - Weekly Texas Data for National Zika Pregnancy Registry

Texas has reported 67 individuals into the CDC’s Zika Pregnancy Registry. That number includes 12 pregnant women who are reported as Zika cases. It also includes pregnant women and newborns who have laboratory evidence of Zika infection but don’t qualify as Zika cases because they have had no symptoms or because the infection couldn’t be specifically identified as Zika virus. Texas provides data to the Zika Pregnancy Registry weekly.

The registry casts a wider net – beyond reported Zika cases – to track and follow pregnancies that may have been impacted by Zika. States are reporting cases but also the number of pregnancies that can’t be confirmed to be Zika-infected but have some lab indication of a flavivirus infection. Flaviviruses are known to cross-react during antibody testing, making it difficult to determine if the person was infected with Zika or some other flavivirus.

Who Texas Counts for the CDC Registry

Any pregnant woman or newborn residing in Texas whose testing for Zika virus infection yielded positive or inconclusive test results, regardless of symptoms.

Who Texas Counts as Zika Pregnancy Case

To be reported as a Zika pregnancy case, the pregnant woman has to have had one or more clinical sign or symptom compatible with Zika and also have a positive Zika test result.

Note: Pregnancy Registry counts will be updated weekly. No other details will be provided about Texas pregnancies reported to the CDC due to privacy concerns and that it is not warranted from a public health standpoint.