By Raymond Lo
Staff writer
Recently, the Zika virus has risen in the San Gabriel Valley as part of an ongoing international health emergency. Neighborhood treatments were scheduled in an attempt to control the infected mosquitoes.
There are 77 documented cases of Zika after people have traveled outside of the United States. San Bernardino County has 13 Zika cases, Riverside County has a total of eight cases, and Orange County has 23 cases.
The California Department of Public Health stated that Zika is transmitted by Aedes aegypti, or yellow fever mosquitoes and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, or Asian tiger mosquitoes. These mosquitoes can infect up to four or five people each day.
According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, yellow fever mosquitoes have been present in 12 of California’s 58 counties, while Asian tiger mosquitoes have existed in areas like South El Monte since 2011.
Furthermore, mosquitoes in the Los Angeles area have been tested positive for Zika. Symptoms may include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. Approximately one in five people infected with Zika show symptoms, which usually last from three days to a week.
Neurological disorders can also follow. Lasting effects include hearing, vision, and intellectual disabilities. No treatment currently exists for microcephaly, which puts children at risk for development issues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to get their houses screened for mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus, to use insect repellent, and to wear long sleeves and jeans to reduce risk of being infected.
