State department spokesman gives Zika PSA

GONZALES — County commissioners on Monday received a presentation from Texas Department of State Health Services Representative Elvia Ledezma regarding the Zika virus.

As temperatures continue to warm up, mosquito activity will increase, Ledezma noted, saying that people should protect themselves from mosquitoes at home and while traveling to areas where Zika is spreading. Precautions include consistently using mosquito repellent when outside, wearing long sleeves and pants, and using air conditioning or making sure window screens will keep mosquitoes out of the home.

Ledezma said TDSH is also calling on people to pick up trash and dump out containers that could hold standing water in and around their homes and businesses to deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs, decrease the overall number of mosquitoes, and help protect family members and neighbors from Zika.

The TDSH website states that the Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, though it can also spread by sexual contact. While symptoms are usually minor, Zika can cause severe birth defects in babies of some women infected during pregnancy. TDSH recommends pregnant women follow CDC advice to avoid traveling to locations with sustained, local Zika transmission, including all areas of Mexico.

Ledezma offered several tips on how to protect oneself from Zika:

• Protect yourself from sexual transmission. Consider abstaining from sex or use condoms correctly
• Apply EPA-approved insect repellent
• Wear pants and long-sleeve shirts
• Use screens or close windows and doors
• Remove standing water in and around your home
• Cover trash cans or containers where water can collect
• Avoid travel to regions where the Zika virus is active