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The Florida Department of Health is investigating two non-travel relatedZika viruscases in Broward County and Miami-Dade County, officials said on Thursday.
“The department continues to work closely with mosquito control to ensure trapping, reduction and prevention activities are conducted in the area of investigation,” they said in a press release.
Experts “have not ruled out travel or sexual transmission” completely, PEOPLE confirmed with Florida Department of Health director Mara Gambineri.
The department is also handing out “Zika prevention kits and repellant” that are being distributed in “the area under investigation,” officials said in the press release. TheCDC recommends kitsthat include insect repellents, water tablets for killing mosquito larva and condoms to prevent sexual transmission of the virus.
To date, 200 people have undergone testing and interviews as a part of the state’s investigation. The Florida Department of Health has been monitoring pregnant women with Zika symptoms since January, and they say the “total number of pregnant women who have been monitored is 47, with 15 having met” CDC Zika case definitions.
The department would like to remind Florida residents and visitors that “the best way to protect themselves is to prevent mosquito bites through practicing good drain and cover methods.”
In order to avoid being bitten this summer, here is a list of the best bug sprays for warding off the zika-spreadingAedesmosquitos, according toConsumer Reports:
Each of the top picks contains a different key ingredient: picaridin, DEET and a derivative of eucalyptus. DEET, an active ingredient in many insect repellants, has been used since the 1940s. According to theU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DEET is safe for pregnant women and young children.
And here’s the best way to use mosquito repellants, per the CDC:
Protecting your home from mosquito populations is also important. Remember toget rid of standing water. Birdbaths, flowerpots and clogged gutters all make for excellent mosquito breeding grounds.
source: people.com
