NASHVILLE (AP) - State Health Department officials say they have a confirmed case of the Zika virus in Tennessee, the first recorded case in the state.

According to the Department, the person had just recently traveled to South America before returning home to East Tennessee. Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is harmless for most people, but has been linked to birth defects. The World Health Organization has called the spread of the virus a global health emergency.

Health officials in Tennessee say they have been expecting an imported case of the virus, as more infections are likely as people travel from different areas.