Ohio’s first sexually-transmitted Zika case reported

State health officials said a woman in Northwest Ohio has acquired the Zika virus through sexual transmission.

The Ohio Department of Health announced Wednesday that the 61-year-old Lucas County woman is the state’s first case of the virus being spread through sexual contact.

The Zika virus is spread mainly by a tropical mosquito and causes mild or no symptoms in most people. However, during pregnancy, it can cause fetal death and severe birth defects.

State health officials said the woman and her husband had traveled to a country with active Zika virus transmission. Both cases bring Ohio’s total confirmed Zika cases to 16.

The state said local officials are working to reduce the risk that area mosquitoes become infected by biting the couple and spreading the virus to others.