Zika Concern in Florida is Not a Thing of the Past

Not only is Zika still showing its presence in Florida it’s actually on the rise. News 4 Jax says that Florida has reported 66 cases of Zika so far this year, some of these only in the last few weeks so there is no way of knowing if that is the end. The highest count of Zika per county is in Collier with 25 reported cases, next is Miami-Dade with 16. Cases have also been reported in Orange, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Osceola, Hernando, and Walton counties, so you can see that it is spread out. So far these cases are all travel related, but it only takes 1 mosquito bite for Zika to go from travel related to locally transmitted.

Zika: A Quick Reminder

Just to highlight a few of the details about Zika, first of all, it is transmitted in 3 ways: from the bite of a mosquito, through sexual contact, and from a mother to her unborn child.

Zika has no vaccination or cure. Most people may never be aware they even have Zika. The symptoms can be mild if not non-existent, however, for pregnant women, Zika can be very dangerous due to the fact that it has been known to lead to serious birth defects.

Protection Remains Important

Mosquito season really never ends in Florida and people don’t quit traveling. Along with those two facts comes the continued threat of Zika. There is no need to spread fear, however an understanding of the fact that if a mosquito that doesn’t have Zika bites a person that does have Zika, all too quickly the virus is locally spread.

History teaches us that outbreaks of mosquito-borne illness can happen suddenly and quickly, therefore the best thing that you can do is not get bitten by a mosquito. Insect repellent is a must when you are out and about enjoying the year-long outdoor friendly weather we are so lucky to have in Florida. It’s possible that even long sleeves and long pants are more of a necessity than you would like at times. I guess you would say it’s a trade-off. We live in great weather… for people and mosquitoes.

However, when you are at home, enjoying your own backyard, you don’t have to live with the mosquitoes. Mosquito Squad of Greater Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra can make mosquito control something you barely have to think about. Our barrier sprays and automatic misting systems eliminate up to 90% of mosquitoes in your yard and come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Eliminating the mosquito population also helps to eliminate the chance of mosquitoes spreading disease. Don’t you want to be a part of that? Call us today and we will help you decide exactly which treatment program works best for you and you can join the fight against Zika and any other diseases that mosquitoes spread. We should all take some responsibility in that, don’t you think? Call us today.