Coachella Valley Resident Positive for Zika
Last updated 8/11/2016 at 8:04am
Following a recent rip abroad, the first case of Zika has been reported in the Coachella Valley after a woman tested positive with the virus.
The woman, who officials have declined to identify, contracted Zika while traveling to Guatemala. Officials say she is the second Riverside County resident to test positive for the virus and the first from the Coachella Valley. The woman is not pregnant and is expected to fully recover.
"If someone is in an area where there are lots of cases, they might want to talk to their healthcare provider about testing," said Cole. "Just recently some of the commercial labs are able to test for Zika, or they can call public health and we facilitate testing."
Authorities did not confirm where the woman lives in the Coachella Valley, however local vector control officials will be conducting robust mosquito control measures in Palm Springs and Cathedral City, in the areas bordered by Tachevah Drive, Date Palm Drive, 30th Avenue and Landau Boulevard.
These efforts will include setting mosquito traps, sending trapped mosquitoes for arboviral testing, searching for standing water sources and other potential breeding sites, and conducting door-to-door inspections.
