The best way to avoid Zika virus infection and other mosquito-borne diseases is to prevent mosquito bites. Here are four tips on how to best prevent mosquito bites:
• When outdoors, wear Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered insect repellents. All EPA registered insect repellents have been evaluated for effectiveness. Always follow the product label instructions.
• Unlike many mosquitoes, the Asian tiger mosquitoes are most active during the day and are most common in shade conditions. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants where these mosquitoes are active.
• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Yellow fever mosquitoes and Asian tiger mosquitoes are both container breeding mosquitoes. They do not breed in ponds, puddles or marshes. Remove their breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes, and replace the water in bird baths every other day. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren’t being used.
Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has reported on the local effort to prevent the spread of the Zika virus including Champaign County’s response to a case diagnosed last month.
Clark County health officials have found in Springfield and the county the type of mosquitoes that may potentially transmit the Zika virus, but no transmission of the cases have been found in Ohio.
The Aedes albopictus mosquito — also known as the Asian tiger mosquito — has been found in two locations in Green Twp. and three locations in Springfield. The species is a vector for the Zika virus, Health District Sanitarian-in-Training Samantha Eggers said.
“It doesn’t mean that they necessarily have the virus, but they can carry it,” Eggers said. “There’s no reason to panic. Just be aware that if the Zika virus were to become a problem for us, we could see it in our mosquito population.”
The mosquitoes will be tested for West Nile Virus, but not Zika virus, according to the health district.
Sanitarians from the Clark County Combined Health District have been working with the Ohio Department of Health to trap mosquitoes since June. The traps are set two to three times per week in various locations throughout the county.
The Asian tiger mosquito has now been found in every county in Ohio. No cases have been transmitted by mosquitoes in Ohio, but the health district is warning residents to protect themselves and their families until the first freeze of the year.
A Champaign County man has been diagnosed with the virus this summer, but he contracted it while travelling.
The Zika virus can be spread through both being bitten by an infected mosquito or sexual contact. Common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis within a few weeks of exposure. There is currently no vaccine or medicine for the virus.
Infection during pregnancy may be linked to birth defects in babies.
It’s been a slow summer trapping mosquitoes because it’s been very dry, Eggers said. The health district may perform more trapping in more areas in the coming weeks, especially as rain has increased, to see if there are a large number of mosquitoes in the area, Eggers said.
There are several other mosquitoes that can also carry the West Nile Virus, she said. The state is seeing less West Nile virus this year than the past two years, but it has seen an uptick recently, health officials said.
Residents should wear long sleeves or mosquito repellent as well as keep their property clean, especially clearing standing water, she said.
“Even though we’re not seeing as many of them, you still want to protect yourself from them,” Eggers said.
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