By now you have probably heard of the Zika virus. Response to the threat of a Zika outbreak in the U.S. has been debated aggressively in Congress, and it has prompted some states to issue a state of emergency. Why? Because, unlike other mosquito viruses like West Nile, malaria, and dengue, which can lead to death, Zika can lead to a lifetime of hardship for a child, a mother, and an entire family. This is a virus that has been proven to cause microcephaly, a congenital birth defect characterized by small head size and brain damage in unborn children at all stages of pregnancy. So, we don't get the question: "Is Zika dangerous?" The question folks in our service area want to know is: "How much of a threat is Zika to the northeast?"
The Zika virus does not require tropical temperatures to spread. This is a virus spread by mosquitoes; specifically, mosquitoes of the Aedes genus. In the U.S., we have two Aedes mosquito species: Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
If you live in the Midwest or north of Colorado and Kansas, you don't have much to worry about when it comes to Zika and other viruses spread by Aedes mosquitoes. But, the CDC estimates that these mosquitoes can be found on almost the entire eastern seaboard, from Florida up to Southern Maine.
Currently, there are no cases of locally transmitted Zika in the northeastern states. The only cases reported are those who were infected by traveling to other countries where the Zika virus is local. But, since this is a virus that can spread locally through Aedes mosquito populations, it is important to understand that an outbreak could occur at any time. It is also important to understand that 80% of people infected with the Zika virus show no signs of the disease. That means it will be hard to detect an outbreak quickly.
If you live anywhere in the United States where populations of Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus can be found, please take extra precautions this summer when you are outside, even if you are not pregnant. We all need to realize that our bodies can be a conduit for the infection of someone else. Utilize measures to prevent mosquito bites and consider getting mosquito abatement services for your home or business from the pest control experts here at Big Blue Bug Solutions. Protecting our neighbors from the dangers that pests pose is our number one concern. One child born with microcephaly is one child too many. Join us in preventing the spread of this disease by contacting us today to start your mosquito abatement service.