There is hardly a person in the United States who hasn't heard about the Zika virus. This virus has captured widespread attention for several reasons: It is a virus that is known to cause microcephaly in unborn children at all stages of pregnancy and has recently been connected to chronic seizure disorders in unborn children who contract the disease in later stages of pregnancy; It has been hotly debated among lawmakers in Washington for several months; And this disease is getting a ton of press because of the danger it presents to athletes taking part in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. But Zika is about to get even more news coverage. Here's what you need to know and how it will affect you if you live in Indianapolis.
If you've been following Zika, you know that, until recently, all cases of Zika were travel related. That means that people with the virus had recently traveled to countries where Zika is spread locally. It had not found its way into local mosquito populations in the United State. This is no longer the case. Cases of local transmission are being reported in Florida.
What does the local transmission of Zika mean to us here in Indianapolis? It simply means that infected people no longer have to fly in from other countries of the world. They can now take a bus, train, or car to come to Indiana.
While health officials in Florida are working diligently to track and contain this virus, it is a difficult task. 80% of people who contract the Zika virus don't have severe symptoms, so that they won't admit themselves to a hospital, and since these people don't know they have the virus, there is nothing stopping them from traveling to other states to spread it.
Zika doesn't even have to make it all the way into Indiana. There are only two mosquitoes in the United States that are vectors for the Zika virus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Both of these mosquitoes can be found in this state.
The CDC suggests mosquito bite deterrents to prevent the Zika virus:
- Avoid being outside in the morning and the evening when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear mosquito repellent with DEET. If a repellent irritates your skin, apply it to your clothing or try an organic alternative like the oil of lemon eucalyptus.
- Wear long sleeves and pants, with a light application of repellent, when possible.
- Don't get a zapper for your yard. Studies have shown that zappers lure mosquitoes in, but are only efficient at killing male mosquitoes, which don't bite.
- Get mosquito services for your property to reduce breeding sites and local mosquito populations.
If you live in our service area of Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, contact Action Pest Control for mosquito reduction services you can trust. Zika is now local in the United States. Take proper precautions to protect yourself, your family, and all of Indianapolis from mosquito-borne viruses.