Oxitec, a group in the United Kingdom that specializes in insect control, received approval in March to conduct a trial run by unleashing, beginning this month, millions of modified mosquitoes into the Cayman Islands. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Advertisement
Zika can cause fetal death and severe brain defects in the children of women infected during pregnancy.
The researchers said that pregnant women should avoid travelling to countries with known zika trasmission, but concluded that “the recommendation for the general public is to attend normally, while paying attention to the instructions from WHO and the Brazilian Health authorities”.
As of May 31, 2016, there have been 591 travel-associated Zika virus disease cases reported in the US and no locally acquired vector-borne cases reported.
The Obama administration on Friday said it doesn’t expect the Zika virus to blanket whole states if and when mosquitoes begin to spread the virus on the USA mainland, though it wants state officials to map out flareups so that locals can protect themselves.
The presence of the mosquito does not necessarily mean it is carrying the virus because it has to bite someone who has the Zika virus in their bloodstream to pass it on to another human being.
“If we don’t resolve this in the next weeks before the senate and house go out on our summer recess, we may not have this funding available to improve public health, to protect the American people until the fall”.
First Selectman Tesei said, “I believe the town, residents and commercial property owner (s) need to work together as a team to eliminate sources of standing water on their property”.
The state warns that mosquitoes can breed in as little as a teaspoon or bottle cap of water. Once this virus gets into the mosquito population, it will be hard to control the spread.
A NY congresswoman is calling for her colleagues to approve federal funds to combat the Zika virus.
Advertisement
Earlier research has shown that increasing temperatures will enlarge Europe’s seasonal window for the potential spread of mosquito-borne viral disease and expand the geographic areas at risk for epidemics to include large parts of Europe. On Thursday, CDC researchers and Colorado State University published a new map showing where this mosquito, which is also responsible for spreading other related viruses such as dengue fever and chikungunya, has been found in the United States.
