CRESTVIEW — No one has gotten the Zika virus in Florida — including Okaloosa County — by being bitten by an infected mosquito.
The insect that could spread Zika, Aedes albopictus, is prevalent in Northwest Florida, but south Florida’s Aedes aegypti is most apt to transmit the virus.
Even if someone gets Zika, they probably don’t know it and, even if they do, they’ll be over it in a week to 10 days anyway.
Except for pregnant women, who, health authorities say, can pass on Zika to their fetuses, who might then have birth defects. If that should occur, a Zika outbreak, unlike West Nile, can be broken, especially if prompt action is taken.
KNOW THE FACTS
Being forewarned helps residents become forearmed when it comes to the Zika virus, local public health and county officials said during a recent community update at North Okaloosa Medical Center.
The hospital hosted a May 24 Zika discussion, which included Okaloosa County Public Health Director Dr. Karen Chapman, NOMC Infection Control specialist Lida Deonarine, March of Dimes Gulf Coast Region representative Dannon Byrd, Okaloosa County Public Works mosquito control coordinator Scott Henson, and Okaloosa County Commissioner Wayne Harris.
Chapman said while there have been Zika cases reported in Florida, including one in Santa Rosa County, all are from travelers who were infected outside the country.
However, the potential remains for mosquitoes to transmit the Zika virus by biting an infected person.
“The primary vector is not as common in our area, but it is possible,” Chapman said.
SYMPTOMS
Chapman said Zika’s symptoms are like dengue “but are much, much milder.” In fact, only one in five people with the Zika virus are symptomatic, she said.
“Without the birth component, Zika is very mild,” Chapman said.
But for pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant, Zika is a real concern. It is linked to babies being born with microcephaly, a condition in which their heads are abnormally small, often leading to other developmental issues.
However, if a woman becomes infected after giving birth, she can still breast feed.
“We’ve never seen Zika transmission through breast milk,” Chapman said.
Zika-carrying mosquitoes aren’t a woman’s sole source of Zika infection. An infected man can transmit the bug to her during unprotected sex.
“It lives for an extended period of time in semen,” Chapman said. “We have seen transmission beyond 21 days (of initial infection).”
SWATTING THE BUG
“Preventing ourselves from being bitten by a Zika-carrying mosquito prevents us from transmitting Zika to another mosquito,” which will bite someone else, Chapman said.
And the best way to do that is to drain standing water around the home, and cover the skin with long-sleeved clothing and repellent.
“It’s very important that each citizen empties water containers every two days,” Henson said.
Mosquitoes look for four or five places with standing water to lay their eggs, he said. Removing a breeding habitat dramatically reduces mosquito reproduction.
Because Northwest Florida’s Aedes albopictus mosquito is very territorial, it won’t travel far looking for a new water source if residents remove theirs, Chapman said.
But if they don’t, “more than likely the people you’re going to infect are your neighbors and your family,” Henson said.
COVER UP
“Aedes is an aggressive daytime biter,” Henson said, adding it is important to follow the health department’s advice to “cover your skin.”
The guidelines for fighting Zika-bearing mosquitoes apply equally to bugs carrying West Nile, dengue and chikungunya, Chapman said.
Long sleeves and pants when working outside are the first line of defense, followed by applying a repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535.
COORDINATED RESPONSE
Deonarine said NOMC has developed a patient screening protocol.
“We’ve been tasked with developing a screening tool at the door,” she said, so if a patient exhibits Zika-like symptoms, “our registration clerks, our ER triage nurse, one of the first things they do is screen for foreign travel … If there is a case, we can indentify it quickly and determine if testing is necessary.”
Several departments are cooperating to prevent an Okaloosa County Zika outbreak, officials said.
“For years we have worked with the county on mosquito control,” Chapman said. “A lot of that infrastructure is already in place. There is a lot of collaboration between hospitals, public health, mosquito control and emergency operations.”
“This collaboration is especially important,” Harris said. “We have a great relationship with hospitals, with the county and with all our care providers in Okaloosa County.”
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SYMPTOMS
The Zika virus was first identified in 1947. Most people who have Zika don’t know it. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
●Joint pain
●Fever
●Rash
●Red eyes (conjunctivitis)
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/CDC
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DRAIN AND COVER
The Florida Department of Health’s “Drain and Cover” campaign provides advice to protect against all mosquitoes, including those carrying Zika, dengue, West Nile and chikungunya.
DRAIN STANDING WATER
Drain: Garbage cans, house gutters, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots
Discard: Old tires, drums, bottles, cans, pots, pans, broken appliances
Empty and clean: Bird baths, pets’ water bowls
Protect: Boats and vehicles from rain with tarps that don’t accumulate water
Maintain: The water balance (chemistry) of swimming pools. Empty and overturn plastic wading pools when not in use
COVER YOUR SKIN
Clothing: Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long sleeves
Repellent: Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Repellents with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535 are effective. Use mosquito netting to protect children younger than 2 months.
Cover doors and windows with screens: Repair broken screens on windows, doors, porches and patios
Source: Florida Department of Health
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ZIKA BY THE NUMBERS
122: Total Zika cases reported so far in Florida; all from travelers returning from Zika-infected countries
48: Zika cases in Miami-Dade County, the most of any Florida county
0: new Zika cases in Florida as of May 26
5: Remaining Florida Zika cases still exhibiting symptoms
1: Zika case previously reported in Santa Rosa County
0: Zika cases in Okaloosa and Walton County
0: Zika cases anywhere in Florida caused by mosquito bites
0: Zika cases anywhere in the United States caused by mosquito bites
Source: Florida Department of Health
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Northwest Florida officials offer tips to stay safe from Zika virus