Two Warren County residents are the first in Mississippi to contract the Zika virus in 2017, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported in a news release Monday afternoon.

Health officials confirmed the mosquito-born illness diagnosed in the two Warren County residents is travel related. The press release said the two had traveled to an area north of Venezuela.

Health department officials would not provide a more specific location in an effort to protect the identity of the two Warren County residents who have been diagnosed.

State Health Department officials said 23 cases of Zika were reported in Mississippi in 2016, all travel related.

“It is important to remember that there are several types of mosquito-borne diseases, so it’s essential to always take precautions, protect yourself, and avoid mosquito exposure whenever possible at home or when traveling,” said Dr. Paul Byers, state epidemiologist.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause devastating birth defects if contracted during pregnancy. Zika virus infection can cause a mild illness with symptoms such as fever, joint pain, conjunctivitis and rash lasting for several days to a week, but 80 percent of those infected show no symptoms at all. Death is very rare, according to the press release.

Zika has been seen in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and some Pacific islands for years, but a recent Zika outbreak has been going on in approximately 50 countries — mostly in the Caribbean, Central and South America. The Zika virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. The breed of the mosquito that is spreading Zika — Aedes Aegypti — has not been detected in Mississippi since the early 1990s. The MSDH is currently conducting surveillance on all mosquito populations in the state.

Zika can also be spread through sexual transmission, even if symptoms are not present. Persons returning from Zika-affected areas and their sexual partners should take steps to prevent sexual transmission. Pregnant woman and women who may become pregnant in the near future should avoid travel to countries with Zika transmission, according to the MSDH press release.

Pregnant women should avoid sexual contact — or only have protected sex using a condom — with any male who has recently returned from a country with Zika virus. These precautions should continue for the duration of the pregnancy, MSDH officials warned.

For more information on Zika or other mosquito-borne illnesses, visit HealthyMS.com/Zika.