Medical emergency declared in Florida. Zika Virus found in six counties
 

[LIST=1][*]What is Zika virus?

Zika virus disease is a mosquito-borne illness. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are a mild fever, skin rashes, muscle and joint pain, and conjunctivitis. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. Seek medical care if symptoms worsen.

I am sure that everyone reading this has heard it on the news, but it is always good to be aware of this danger.

Although the virus does not cause a serious illness it can be dangerous to someone who is pregnant. To be exposed to the virus can cause the baby to be born with very little brain tissue, a condition called microcephaly. No virus has been found in Lake, Sumter or Marion that I have heard about. No cases have begun in Florida but brought to Florida from South America.

Stagnant water and standing water such as in bird baths are where mosquitoes carrying the virus breed.

Thank you for posting, GracieGirl

I do think the media is being rather complacent in saying that the Zika virus is not a major threat to the USA. Not right at this moment, true, but surely better to take action now rather than wait until it is?

Several mosquito-borne diseases have been moving north over the past few years and we should take precautions now rather than wait until microencephaly cases start appearing in our hospitals.

Individual mosquitoes have a relatively small range, so eliminating standing water around our homes can deny them of breeding areas.

Brazil has been one of the first countries to utilise the release of adult mosquitoes the offspring of which fail to reach maturity. From a health perspective, this procedure is much preferable to toxic sprays and concentrates on the mosquito population itself rather than blanketing whole areas where there may not even be mosquitoes.

Not sure how this really helps. I know of no one who avoided the out of doors in Maine when the deer tick caused lyme disease. People in Maine use deet to protect against ticks and mosquitos. Other than staying indoors and not getting pregnant what else can you do? Don't let the grand kids play near stagnant water or go out early morning or early evening...spray with deet.

This is something that time will tell whether it becomes a serious threat to the country. I don't know how on one hand the virus only stays with someone for up to seven days, then on the other hand women with the virus are told not to get pregnant for two years.
It was just reported today that someone in this country was infected through sexual contact. Kinda think deet would not protect in that case. I have children and grandchildren travelling to the Dominican Republic this summer, I hope by then more is known about the virus.

Did anyone see the movie "Children of Men"?

Remember "bird flu" and ALL the information on how it was going to hit and how many people would die?? Personally, I'm taking Zika with a grain of salt...time will tell if it's all that serious!

The Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918 was kept quiet for reasons of morale, so no one took simple precautions, and thirty to forty million people died worldwide.

No-one is saying that you need panic over Zika, but just by removing items in your garden that hold standing water you would keep mosquitoes away from your house and help break the chain.