Now That It's Warming Up, It's Time To Take Zika Precautions
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Mosquito season comes with more warnings from health officials about potential exposure to the Zika virus, and now is the time to check for standing water and make sure you have protection in place.
As WJZ's Pat Warren reports, mosquito spraying is already underway in the state.
We're all ripe for mosquitoes right now," says Howard Haft with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. "It's rained a lot ... and it's warm."
Zika cases identified in the U.S. have come from travelling, largely to Central and South America. But mosquitoes that bite an infected person here can go on to transmit the disease to other people.
Symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes, according to the Centers For Disease Control, but pregnant women infected with the virus have delivered children with microcephaly, a birth defect in which a baby's head is much smaller than average, which is sometimes paired with stunted brain development.
It is time to take precautions, officials warn.
That means using insect repellent after you've applied sunscreen. And, while you're screening your skin, do the same around the house. Install or repair your window screens.
Eliminating standing water around your house is also a good idea, from the smallest pots to wading pools. So little water is required for mosquito to breed that it can dry out and the eggs could still hatch once it gets wet again. So be sure to clean them as well.
Haft says the mosquitoes like to bite the bottom of the legs, below the knees.
In addition to repellent, long pants and sleeves are recommended.
Because the summer months are a time for travel, if you're planning a trip outside the U.S., Zika status reports are available.
Baltimore City is also among the local health departments with Zika awareness programs.
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