New York City Health Commissioner Doctor Mary Bassett says only certain insect repellents are effective at fending off the mosquito-borne virus, including those with DEET, Lemon Eucalyptus and other ingredients. The state says eligible women should be able to begin picking up the repellent August 9 and can get up to two cans per month through October 31.
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With local Zika cases detected in Florida and increased travel to Brazil for the Summer Olympics, Texas is on high alert for local Zika transmission by mosquito bites and is urging everyone to strictly follow precautions. No one has contracted Zika virus from mosquitoes in NY; the 533 reported cases have all been related to travel to regions with Zika outbreaks, including Latin America and the Caribbean. She says other products could put you at risk of being bitten. Zika can cause severe birth defects in unborn children whose mothers are infected while pregnant.
The state has dedicated $6 million in state and federal funding to prevent and combat Zika.
More than 500 people have the Zika virus in NY, though no one contracted it in the state.
The New York Attorney General advises to avoid ultrasonic and botanical mosquito repellents as well as vitamin B-based repellents.
The group has also used social media to advance its message, most recently after Landrieu announced Wednesday (Aug. 3) the city would take a more aggressive approach to prevent the Zika virus from being spread from mosquitoes to humans.
“We wanted to be proactive and we wanted to absolutely give every chance we could to protect the next generation of Texans because this is really about birth defects and protecting that unborn generation from harm”, Hellerstedt said.
There are also more than a dozen cases of the disease being sexually transmitted.
A vaccine or treatment for Zika virus infection isn’t now available, but state tests can detect Zika immediately after infection, even if the individual doesn’t have symptoms. Texas has reported 42 individuals into the CDC’s Zika Pregnancy Registry. “Because of the risk of sexual transmission, partners of pregnant women should consider staying away from these areas, too”.
To ward off ticks, which can cause Lyme disease, Cooper recommends wearing long-sleeve shirts and long trousers if possible when going in wooded areas.
Dr. Rebekah Gee, LDH secretary said it is good public policy for Medicaid to cover mosquito repellent for female enrollees who are pregnant or attempting to become pregnant.
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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) Worried you might catch the Zika virus? A list of counties in the state with confirmed cases shows that there have not been any reports of Zika in East Texas.
