Health officials warn about the threat of Zika, already 19 cases in Maryland this year (WMAR)
Friday May 5th, 2017
Mosquitos are back!
Here in Maryland, the blood sucking pests start breeding in March, and with those itchy bites come the threat of more serious infections like Zika.
"It is very important that people know that Zika is still a global public health emergency,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner, Dr. Leana Wen. “And the main danger is for pregnant women because of the association with severe birth defects in the unborn child."
The virus is linked to babies being born with abnormally small heads and brains, a condition called microcephaly.
Since 2015 there have been 5,264 cases of Zika in the United States. This year, 19 people have already contracted the illness here in Maryland.
The bugs might not be biting in your backyard yet, but with warm and wet weather in the forecast, Baltimore leaders say now is the time to take precautions.
"The best way for us to prevent mosquitos from breeding is to get rid of standing water,” Wen said. “Even something as small as a bottle cap can be the breeding ground for mosquitos, so look in your yard and dump flower pots, dump Tupperware containers, cover your trashcans, just get rid of any area of standing water."