There has been a lot in the news lately about the Zika virus disease, and in recent news, two of the nation’s top public health officials have voiced their concerns over the growing incidence of the disease.
The World Health Organization has declared the Zika virus an international public health emergency, prompted by growing concern that it could cause birth defects. Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes — which are not native to California — have been identified in 12 California counties. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been found in the Bay Area, in San Mateo and Alameda counties.
There are no known cases where the mosquitoes have transmitted the Zika virus in Northern California. However, there have been reported cases in Southern California and as many as four million people in the United States could be infected by the end of the year. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.
There is no vaccine against the Zika virus. Efforts to make one have just begun, and creating and testing a vaccine normally takes years and costs hundreds of millions of dollars in research and development.
The infection appears to be linked to the development of unusually small heads and brain damage in newborns. In a US News report, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated: “Never before have we had a mosquito-borne infection that can cause serious birth defects on a large scale.” The infection appears to be linked to the development of unusually small heads and brain damage in newborns. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have urged pregnant women against travel to about two dozen countries, mostly in the Caribbean and Latin America, where the outbreak is growing.
One way to keep your family safer from Zika is to have Genius retractable screen door installed in your home. A Genius retractable screen door can fit single doors, double or french doors and over sized doors. We also have retractable screen door solutions for NanaWall systems (nano doors), large patio enclosures and even outdoor pavilions! Our retractable screen door systems will keep your family safe, your home fresh and cool, while keeping mosquitoes and other pests outside. Give us a call today and have your retractable screen doors installed as early as tomorrow!
To find out more about the Zika virus, check out the full US News report here: Zika Virus Warning.