Mosquitoes capable of transmitting the Zika virus have been found in a seventh county.
The state Department of Health and New Mexico State University announced Thursday that one of the two mosquito species capable of transmitting Zika has been found in Sierra County in southwestern New Mexico.
Mosquitoes capable of carrying Zika previously were found in Chavez, Curry, Dona Ana, Eddy, Otero and Roosevelt counties. NMSU is conducting mosquito as part of a state-funded project to map the range and distribution of two species capable of transmitting Zika virus to people.
Zika virus spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, but it can also be spread by infected men and women to their sex partners. Zika infections in pregnant women can cause severe brain-related birth defects.
