State health officials have confirmed a case of the Zika virus in Massachusetts.
More cases could be confirmed in the future, officials say.
The patient is a man, according to state health officials. He is expected to make a full recovery.
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"We are aware of one case in Massachusetts, a person who had traveled to an area where we already know Zika is being transmitted," said Dr. Larry Madoff, director of the Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at the Department of Public Health.
Zika is spread by mosquitoes. It causes rashes, joint pain, fevers and other symptoms. According to state health officials, around 80 percent of people who contract the virus have symptoms for up to one week.
Zika has been found in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Health officials suspect that Zika is linked to a wave of birth defects in Brazil in which babies have small heads. Development of a vaccine could be years away.
President Barack Obama hosted a meeting of federal health specialists on the issue earlier this week.
The World Health Organization estimates there could be 3 to 4 million cases of Zika in the Americas over the next year.
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