As of Friday, 13 cases of Zika virus have been reported in Arkansas, according to the state Department of Health.
All of the incidents have been travel-related, the department said. No locally acquired cases have been reported.
Zika, a virus that is relatively new to the Western Hemisphere, is spread through mosquito bites and the sexual transmission from a man to his sexual partner, the department said. Pregnant women are most at risk because the virus can cause serious birth defects.
"Arkansas residents traveling to Central or South America or the Caribbean, where Zika is present, should take precautions against mosquitoes," Dr. Nate Smith, director of the department, said in a news release. "If you are pregnant, consider postponing your trip," he said.
Smith also noted that Arkansas mosquitoes can become infected with the virus if they bite a person who already carries it. He recommends that people traveling abroad avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes for 10 days after they return and said they should go to a doctor if they experience any of the common symptoms such as fever, rash, joint pain and red, itchy eyes.
Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, said the department.
According to the Center for Disease Control, 3,176 cases of Zika have been reported in the United States. 3,132 of those cases were travel-related.