The Zika Virus

Hello, Atlanta and welcome to Mosquito Joe of North Atlanta’s first blog post! In light of recent events in the news regarding the Zika virus, I’d like to take this opportunity to write a bit about the virus and how you can help keep yourself and your family safe. At the moment, there is no cure for the virus so the best protection is prevention.

What is Zika?

As you may already be aware, Zika is the disease which is caused by the Zika virus. Mosquitoes are the known culprits which have been spreading this disease to people, particularly the Aedes mosquito species.

Where is Zika?

While small cases of Zika have occurred in African countries like Uganda since the 1940’s, it recently made the news when an outbreak hit Brazil in 2015. Since then, Zika has made its way to the United States, with 346 cases to date!

The CDC has a map that shows all states within the United States that have reported cases of Zika, 11 of which have occurred in Georgia alone.

What are the symptoms?

The virus only affects about 1 in every 5 people that come into contact with it. For the most part, the symptoms seem to be very mild at first, with the most common symptoms being fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

How can it be prevented?

So far, the best way to prevent Zika is to reduce your exposure to mosquitoes. Since mosquitoes love standing water, start by eliminating any sources of standing water you find on your property. Here are some examples of where you might find standing water:

  • Flowerpots, tires or children’s toys
  • Drains or gutters
  • Low areas on your deck or throughout your yard
  • Garbage bags or extra yard-clippings

Make sure that anytime you find yourself outside you wear protective clothing such as long pants or long sleeves or apply mosquito repellent as directed.

For those of you that feel you want a more effective solution for mosquito control, take a look at our services page to see if we can help with your needs or give us a call at 404-996-1381 for a free quote today.

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