There have been no reported cases of the Zika virus in Georgia and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) would like to keep it that way with the introduction of the “Tip ‘n Toss” awareness initiative.
DPH District 4 is urging residents to clean up around their homes, their yards and their communities and discard unnecessary items that can hold water. “Tip ‘n Toss” after every rainfall to reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent the spread of Zika virus.
As of this date, no locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported in Georgia, but cases have been reported in returning travelers, said District 4 public information officer Hayla Folden said May 14.
Folden said Zika virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Both species are found in Georgia. Aedes mosquitoes typically bite during the day, especially in the early morning and late afternoon hours but some bite at night. They are called “container breeders” because they lay eggs in any type of container with water, even something as small as a bottle cap if it has water in it.
One of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of Zika virus is controlling the mosquito population by eliminating standing water around the home and in the yard, Folden urged.
“After every rainfall, ‘tip’ out water in flowerpots, planters, children’s toys and wading pools, and buckets. If it holds water and you don’t need it (such as old tires, bottles or cans), ‘toss’ it out. Look for small bodies of water such as drainage ponds, tree stumps and tire ruts. Clean out gutters, remove piles of leaves and keep vegetation cut low to prevent landing sites for adult mosquitoes,” said Folden.
For containers without lids or that are too big to Tip ‘n Toss (such as bird baths, garden pools), use larvicides such as mosquito dunks or mosquito torpedoes and follow the label instructions. Larvicides will not hurt birds or animals.
Homeowners associations and neighborhoods, along with city and county governments, are encouraged to sponsor community cleanup days, Folden noted.
“Mosquitoes don’t recognize property lines, so controlling their numbers has to be a collaborative effort among neighbors,” said Folden. “We are increasing mosquito surveillance and educating residents, but the greatest impact will be when individuals take personal responsibility for their homes, yards and communities.”
Folden said it is also important to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing 20-30 percent DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Wear light colored clothing with long sleeves, long pants and socks to help prevent mosquito bites, Folden said.
Zika virus disease (Zika) is a disease caused by the Zika virus, which is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. However, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of May 11, there have been 503 travel-associated cases reported in the United States.
Zika can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, through sexual contact between a man and his sexual partners and, in Brazil and French Polynesia, through blood transfusions, CDC said.
Brazil has seen more than 4,000 suspected cases of Zika reported, with the World Health Organization projecting that more than 2,500 babies will be born with microencephaly.
Cases have been reported in other South American countries. As of May 13, Puerto Rico has more than 900 cases of confirmed Zika, with more than 100 of those occurring in pregnant women, according to time.com
Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika Forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Zika outbreaks have probably occurred in many locations. Before 2007, at least 14 cases of Zika had been documented, although other cases were likely to have occurred and were not reported. Because the symptoms of Zika are similar to those of many other diseases, many cases may not have been recognized, CDC said.
