Kelly Greene
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Many people have experienced concerns with the growing number of Zika virus cases that are being reported. The virus is a mosquito-borne infection that was first identified in Africa, in 1947. Since 2015, when the first case was reported in Brazil, the virus has spread significantly across the world.
In the majority of cases, most people experience no symptoms and have only a mild infection. In other cases, people have experienced severe flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, conjunctivitis and achy joints. However, in some extremely rare cases it can trigger paralysis, also known as, the Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Another crucial side effect from the virus puts expectant mothers at risk with the rise of children being born with microcephaly, which causes children to be born which unusually small heads. The virus is thought to be a factor in the birth defects.
The virus is transmitted to people primarily through the infected Aedes species mosquito. Although, it can also be passed from person-to-person via sexual contact with an infected person. These mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters but they can also bite at night.
Following the recommendation of Governor Rick Scott, all county health departments, including the Madison County Health Department, offer free Zika risk assessments and testing to pregnant women.
The department advises pregnant women in particular to avoid non-essential travel to the Zika-impacted area of Miami-Dade County.
According to Jamie Willoughby, Director of Animal and Mosquito Control, located at 2060 Rocky Ford Rd., in Madison, there have been no reported cases of Zika virus in Madison County. He reminds the community that prevention is vital to reduce exposure to mosquito bites.
Willoughby has recommended some preventative ways to protect against exposure which include applying mosquito repellent to exposed parts of the body and using an insecticide that kills mosquitoes and other insects, preferably one that has the active ingredient Deet. Another option is to cover exposed areas of skin with long sleeves and pants.
Willoughby additionally recommended measures that include the removal of all standing water in or around houses and dwellings. This is suggested due to the fact that mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon or a bottle cap of standing water.
The recommended preventative measures include, but are not limited to cleaning out items that are located outside and that will hold or trap water. For example, clean and store items such as: flowerpots, buckets, old tires, toys, pools and pool covers, birdbaths, trash containers, recycling bins, pet dishes and roof gutters.
Willoughby reports that measures have been taken in the form of waste tire round-up. This act also referred to as site reduction, helps by getting rid of potential breeding grounds.
Additional measures include changing the spraying times to early dawn at around 4:30 a.m., due to the fact that mosquitos are daytime feeders.
Willoughby says at this point, Animal and Mosquito Control are continuing to monitor mosquitoes, which includes trapping and a method of killing the adult male mosquito or Adulticide. Adulticide applications are made to coincide with mosquito flight activity so that the insecticide droplets contact the target insects but also avoid the flight activity of non-target insects such as bees and butterflies.
For more information regarding the Zika virus, call the Zika virus hotline that is provided by the FDOH at 1-855-622-6735 or contact the Madison County Health Department at (850) 973-5000.
- According to a report by the FDOH, as of Tuesday, Sept. 20, Florida had a total of 857 reported Zika infections: 671 of them travel related, 89 non-travel related, 87 involving pregnant women and 10 out-of-state residents.
- The report indicates that the majority of the reported 857 cases are concentrated in the central and southern part of the state, but 20 of those cases were from North Florida.
- Out of the 20 travel-related cases that were reported in North Florida, three were located in Bay County, two in Leon County, eight in Duval County, and three in Escambia County.
- In addition, FDOH workers have tested more than 7,815 people statewide for the Zika virus. The state had the capacity to test 4,930 for active Zika virus and 8,364 for the Zika antibody.