More Travel-Related Zika Cases Confirmed In Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Health officials say they’re confirmed two more cases of travel-related Zika virus in Alabama.

A statement from the Department of Public Health says cases of the virus were detected in Jefferson and Shelby counties, which include much of the Birmingham metro area.

The confirmations follow tests that are being performed on people who have traveled to areas where Zika outbreaks have been reported.

The health agency previously confirmed the state’s only other confirmed case in Morgan County in the Tennessee Valley.

The Zika virus spreads through a certain type of mosquito. It moved quickly through Latin America before showing up in the United States, most often in people who have traveled.

There’s growing evidence linking Zika to a rare birth defect and to a nerve condition that causes temporary paralysis.