Is Zika Still a Threat in 2017?

From the 2016 Zika virus outbreak, fifty-one babies have been born with birth defects in the United States. While that number doesn’t seem terribly high relatively speaking, it is alarming considering the Zika virus has only been locally transmitted in Florida and Texas.

NPR recently reported the full extent of the affects of Zika in the Unites States in 2016 and the numbers are not at all comforting. Out of about 1,300 pregnant women infected with Zika virus, 77 pregnancies were lost, 43 babies were born with microcephaly or brain abnormalities and another 8 babies suffered either eye abnormalities or neural tube defects.

Overall the infected women faced a 5% risk of severe birth defects in their babies. But if infected during the first trimester, the risk increased to 15%.

2017 Zika Numbers & Predictions

In the United States right now the CDC reports that they are seeing 30-40 new cases of Zika virus in pregnant women per week! Simple math puts us at 1,560- 2,080 cases by the end of the year. (Not to mention an expected increase in that rate during vacation season this summer.) If the 5% rule applies we could be looking at over 100 babies with severe birth defects this year due to the Zika virus.

Despite the news not reporting much about Zika virus so far this year, it is still a dangerous threat, especially to pregnant women. It is vital that pregnant women continue to be vigilant in mosquito protection, especially when it comes to traveling. We recommend you keep a close eye on the CDC’s Zika Travel Guide for the latest affected locations. Currently, Texas, Florida, Mexico, the Caribbean and parts of Central America, South America, the Pacific Islands, Africa, and Asia are included in these warnings.

Don’t forget: You can bring Zika virus back to the United States undetected and pass it to the local mosquito population. We recommend vigilance for all travelers to help avoid transfer of the virus locally.

At Mosquito Squad of Greenville, we don’t anticipate the local transmission of Zika virus to be a problem this season. However, mosquitoes pass on other dangerous diseases such as West Nile Virus and heartworm to our dogs, making it important to avoid mosquito bites at home. We recommend a full season of mosquito control treatments for your yard to reduce mosquitoes by up to 90%. Call today for a free quote to lower the annoyance factor in your yard! (864) 362-2013