Charles Clement is currently the chief executive officer and president of the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, a nonprofit tribal health association consisting of 18 Native Alaskan communities. Working in public health, Charles Clement stays abreast of Alaskan public health issues.

Recently, the Zika virus was found in a man in southeastern Alaska. The man went to a local clinic after falling ill with a fever, conjunctivitis, and a full-body rash.

Not an Alaska resident, the man was just visiting the state and later returned home to the Midwest. The Alaska Division of Public Health confirms that the visitor contracted the virus on a previous trip to Central America.

Fortunately, none of the mosquito species in Alaska can transmit the Zika virus, so there is no concern for spreading of the disease. As the virus can also be transmitted sexually, protected sex or abstinence is encouraged if a partner is infected.

The Zika virus also can be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her unborn child, causing birth defects and pregnancy complications. For more information on the Zika virus, including prevention and transmission risks, visit cdc.gov/zika.