Anti-GM mosquito efforts may expose more people to Zika

While the referendum is nonbinding, Mosquito Control Board member Jill Cranney-Gage and other members have said they will support what the voters decide when the board takes its post-election vote.

While the county’s Health Department Administrator Dr. Irshad Shaikh said that the threat here is “low, but not zero”, the department has an action plan in place if it happens. “We have been doing this for many years”.

While having the plan is a good thing, the best way to combat the virus is prevention, Shaikh said.

Beef up educational efforts for the public, using both the social media and print media and giving updates as the situation changes.

Prevention was stressed throughout the presentation by Shaikh.

“While these viruses are not now transmitted in California, there is a potential for them to be introduced into the state through infected worldwide travelers”, Merki said.

One of the most important preventive measures is for property owners to eliminate all potential mosquito-breeding areas such as making sure they dump stagnant water from old tires, flower pots, tarps covering swimming pools, children’s swimming pools, rain gutters and bird baths approximately every five days, according to Shaikh.

Officials urged residents to empty out any containers or areas that collect standing water, such as buckets, planters, drains and tarps. Residents who do not comply will face warnings, citations and fines.

Health officials say Zika is unique – it’s the first mosquito-borne virus that can be sexually transmitted and causes birth defects.

With more than two-dozen travel-related cases of Zika virus reported in Alabama, sights turn to mosquito control.

Rios said: “Middlesex County officials are committed to protecting the health and safety of all our residents through a variety of existing services, community partnerships and outreach programs”.

County officials also recommended that larvicide tablets can be purchased at little cost to be placed in standing water that is not easily emptied, such as ponds or large fountains.

Using state grant funds, the health department has prepared Zika Prevention Kits.

Please visit the Middlesex County website at www.middlesexcountynj.gov and search “Zika” for more information.

Provide Zika testing at county health department facilities in Willow Grove, Norristown and Pottstown. It is the key. “I know it’s a huge problem in a lot of places, and I don’t discount it”, she says.

Ericsson said “there has been no risks identified in Orange County for contracting Zika virus from mosquitoes”.

[R] esidents in South Florida are in a unique position to become the testing ground for a promising new experiment that could dramatically reduce the number of Zika-infected mosquitoes.