Zika Virus Confirmed at Lehigh University

A case of the Zika virus has been confirmed at Lehigh University, school officials said Wednesday.

The infected student had traveled abroad during winter break, the university said on its website.

An outbreak of the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness believed to cause birth defects, is ongoing in several countries in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean and Mexico. See the full list of Zika travel alerts here.

“We are grateful to be able to report that the student has recovered and is feeling well,” the statement on the website said.

“The Lehigh University Health and Wellness Center has been in direct contact with state health officials, who indicate that there is no additional health risk to anyone on campus.”

On Tuesday, state Department of Health officials announced two Pennsylvania residents had tested positive for the virus, which has been declared a worldwide public health emergency.

It is not known if the case at Lehigh is one of the already confirmed cases.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently issued this Health Advisory on Zika, which notes that all suspected cases of the infection should be reported to state officials.

The concern follows reports of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. More studies are planned to learn more about the risks of Zika virus infection during pregnancy, according to the CDC.