The state health department reported Friday that an Iowan has been confirmed to have the Zika virus.

The woman, who remains unidentified but is between 61-80 years old, had recently traveled to Central America, according to the statement issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health. 

“The general public is not at risk of contracting this virus, because the mosquitoes that transmit Zika are not established in Iowa,” said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk in the statement. “However, Iowans traveling to areas where there is ongoing Zika virus transmission should take care to protect themselves from mosquito bites.”

The zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, particularly from an infected mosquito from the aedes species. 

The CDC has also reported transmission through infected blood and sexual contact. There is also the rare possibility that the virus could be transmitted from mother to child.

“The Zika virus illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week and hospitalizations are rare,” according to the statement from the IDPH. “Most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all.”

Recently, an Ames pharmaceutical company began work on a vaccine for the disease and is still in the early stages of planning.