DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – A health official says there’s a chance that we could see more Zika cases in North Texas if people do not take preventative measures now.
Tarrant County reported it’s first case of the Zika virus this week. Tarrant County Public Health says the patient contracted the disease while in the Caribbean. After showing symptoms of the disease, the person was tested at the Tarrant County lab and tested positive. This adds to the three cases reported earlier this month in Dallas.
TCPH Health Director Vinny Taneja says even though this new case was imported it’s a reminder that we need to prepare for the upcoming mosquito season so the virus doesn’t start spreading locally. According to TCPH, If a person infected with Zika virus is bit by an Aedes mosquito, that mosquito may later bite another person and spread the virus further. Taneja says the virus is spread by a mosquito that is indigenous to Texas. According to Taneja, this insect “loves to bite humans, so it’ll be in your backyard and it will try to get in your house through open windows and doors and look for cool dark places to live in your home”
Taneja says this should be a reminder for residents to remove standing water where mosquitoes breed. “The most important thing residents can do is to eliminate mosquito breeding sites around their home,” said Taneja. “When we stop the breeding cycle, we help stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.”
TCPH has produced a video to help residents eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
” width=”560″ height=”315″ frameborder=”0″>
Copyright 2016. WBAP/KLIF News. All Rights Reserved.
