By now, health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued warnings and guidelines on how to prevent the further spread of the Zika virus. The outbreak originated in Brazil and has since spread to neighboring South American countries as well as the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific Islands.
People Should Be Educated About Zika
Officials said there are plenty of measures currently being done to control the Zika outbreak, but it's important that people in affected countries will be educated about the virus. They said that as long as individuals do not get bitten by the Aedes species mosquitoes, the less likely they are to acquire Zika, WTVM reported.
Officials advised people to wear long sleeves and pants whenever they go outside. Experts also urge people to use insect repellent and to clear standing container of waters in their homes. Stagnant water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry Zika.
Rachel Beck from the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Baldwin County Health Department said Aedes mosquitoes are aggressive daytime and nighttime biters. In Alabama, mosquitoes aren't Zika-carriers yet, but Baldwin County is mobilizing mosquito spray trucks whenever the environment triggers the population of the harmful insects. Right now, Alabama's authorities are focusing on educating the public on how to prevent Zika's spread.
More Prevention Tips
According to a report from KGWN, mosquitoes that carry Zika are most active at dawn and dusk, which means people should avoid going outside as much as possible during those times. The CDC advises the public to stay in air-conditioned rooms or those with window and door screens so Zika-carrying mosquitoes remain outside.
Clothes should also be lightly colored and made of tightly woven materials to avoid getting bitten. Insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) and Picaridin (KBR 3023) should be used. Oil or lemon eucalyptus serves as an alternative insect repellent as well.
Pregnant women affected with Zika can pass the virus to their unborn child. Babies born with Zika often have microcephaly and eye damages.
Experts think that Zika transfers from mom to baby through the placental barrier, which is left vulnerable by damage or inflammation, Forbes wrote. There's also another possibility, where Zika crosses the placenta by concealing itself inside a host cell. When the virus crosses the placental barrier, it can attack the developing fetus' brain tissue.
There is no vaccine and medicine for Zika yet, and men carrying the Zika virus can spread the virus to his sexual partners. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, joint pain, rashes and red eyes.
