Zika Virus Now Spreading in the Mainland US

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The Zika virus, which has made headlines for its spread throughout tropical regions of the world and its debilitating effects on pregnant women, has now confirmed to have spread to the state of Florida, in the southeastern United States. The Zika virus is a generally mild infection caused by mosquito-borne viruses similar to those that cause chickungunya, dengue and West Nile virus. Up until recently, Zika has been most prevalent in southeast Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and portions of the Caribbean. Most recent reports have focused on the virus' prevalence in Brazil and Puerto Rico. Although there have been hundreds of cases of Zika reported in the United States, up until now it has all been the result of people traveling to Zika-infested areas of the world. However, that has changed. Florida has recently acknowledged that local cases of the Zika have been found in the Miami area. Currently, health officials believe that the virus is confined to a small area north of Miami, but could soon spread throughout the state. The two types of mosquitos that carry the Zika virus, the Yellow Fever mosquito and the Asian Tiger mosquito, are both widespread and established species in Florida. Currently, there is no cure for Zika, and in most cases the virus will run its course in people in about a week's time. Symptoms include mild fever, aches and pains, and general flu-like symptoms. The main risk is for pregnant females, as the virus transmitted to a pregnant woman can risk causing birth defects in their babies. I live in the northern part of Florida, so currently there are no major Zika alerts for us, but we have been encouraged to start spreading the word about the virus and taking steps to minimize chances of exposure to the mosquitos that may transmit the virus. This includes limiting activity at dusk and dawn, wearing insect repellent, wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts, and minimizing the amount of standing water around your property. This reminds me of a similar situation years ago when their was an encephalitis breakout, and pretty much any activity that was scheduled at dusk or later had to be cancelled, effecting sports leagues, outdoor picnics, holiday fireworks, etc. Let's hope the spread of the Zika virus can be contained before we reach that level again! Have you been following the Zika virus story in the news?