A recent confirmed case of West Nile virus in Jacksonville has health officials sounding a warning. According to the Department of Health, the danger of more mosquito-borne diseases is on the rise.
Haley Zachary with the Florida Department of Health in Duval County said on Tuesday’s First Coast Connect the biggest concern regarding the Zika virus is travelers coming into Jacksonville.
“Only about one in five people actually show symptoms of the Zika virus,” she said. “We need to make sure all travelers are properly educated on the risks they take by traveling to the countries that are affected.”
Marah Clark with Jacksonville’s Mosquito Control division said they have a surveillance network that has been monitoring and trapping mosquitoes around the county.
“We actually are not seeing as many mosquitos with the hotter weather,” she said. “However with the coming rain, they’re predicting that could quickly change.”
State officials and the Centers for Disease Control have been closely monitoring the situation.
The FloridaDepartment of Health’s web site provides regular updates and information on how to prevent contracting mosquito-borne diseases.
Producer Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax
