Searcy (LP) Everyday on the news you hear about the Zika virus. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the Zika virus can be transmitted through mosquito bites. There is no treatment or vaccine to get rid of the Zika virus.
Mosquitoes carry many other diseases like the West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, and Malaria are the most common you hear about in the U.S. It was first discovered in 1947. The virus is from an Aedes species mosquito. Aedes mosquitoes are daytime aggressive biters. They also bite at night but mostly in the daytime. The Zika virus is named after the Zika Forest of Uganda. The symptoms of the virus include birth defects in pregnant women. The Zika Virus Fever symptoms include fever, muscle pain, rash, red eyes, and headache. These symptoms are mild and last for several days to a week. Florida, Texas, California, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania,Maryland, New Jersey, and Massachusetts have the most reported cases of the Zika virus
Tips to prevent the Zika virus
- Choose a good mosquito repellent
- Travel in safe areas
- Repel your house and clothes
- If it has rained, workout inside
- Keep mosquitoes outside
- Keep windows and doors closed
- Dump out anything that contains water
- Protect your children
- Use window and door screens
- Keep your air conditioning on
Myah Summerland and her family prevent mosquitoes from coming into their house by spraying the yard and putting a sticky bug barrier tape outside each door.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that the Zika Virus is linked to the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a rare sickness of the nervous system, when immune system damages the nerve cells. Symptoms of GBS include lack of strength in the arms and legs and in some cases can affect muscles that control breathing. These symptoms last for a few weeks to several months. People that have GBS recover fully, but very few people die from it.
Keep you and your family safe from mosquitoes. If you feel sick after getting bit by a mosquito, go get tested for the Zika virus.
