New Hanover Co. staff pushes prevention methods to reduce Zika virus transmission

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — New Hanover County leaders are getting ahead of the Zika virus as cases continue to pop up in the U.S. Thursday the county held an informational meeting to let people know about the virus that has been linked to birth defects and how the community can reduce spreading the virus.

Marie Hemmen, environmental health supervisor for vector control in the New Hanover County Health Department, said the Zika virus is mostly transmitted by mosquitoes. She said two species of mosquitoes in the U.S. can carry the virus and one of them is the Asian Tiger mosquito which breeds in the Cape Fear.

She said “source reduction” is the best way to control them, so people should get rid of standing water.

“We want to make sure that if people do bring it into the United States that it is never transmitted, and getting rid of the containers that this mosquito lays its eggs in is a way of preventing it from spreading,” said Hemmen.

Hemmen said the Asian Tiger mosquito usually doesn’t come out until May but they want people to start looking ahead and start thinking about prevention.

Dr. Jessica Burkett, medical director for the New Hanover County Department of Health, gave some medical background on the Zika Virus. She said in her presentation 80% people don’t ever get symptoms, so prevention is even more important. She says adults who do get symptoms can get fever, body aches, eye pain and rash.