COLUMBUS – You can’t tell a mosquito how to behave. But you can try to tell people.
That’s what local health experts are doing as they prepare for the area’s first Zika case and whatever might follow.
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Already, they have warned college students and faculty members traveling for spring break — at Ohio State University, it’s next week — about the virus spreading throughout South America, Central America and the Caribbean (see map).
Soon, they’ll post signs and videos at Port Columbus International Airport alerting departing and returning passengers of Zika’s dangers as well.
Zika is spread through mosquitoes and Ohio Department of Health Medical Director Mary DiOrio says Ohioans headed to places with active transmissions of the virus should take precautions.
“Especially insect repellent, wearing appropriate clothes to protect their skin from exposure.,” she said. “We especially want to make sure that people are aware of these areas, but if they’re pregnant that if at all possible they avoid traveling to these areas right now and postponing their trip to another time if they can.”
The virus is linked to birth defects and paralysis, and now researchers say it might be connected to a deadly type of brain inflammation.
As winter falls away, public health officials will continue to hammer home the message of removing standing water and using insect repellent to fend off mosquitoes.
“The big thing is changing human behavior, and that’s probably the hardest thing we have to do,” said Charlie Broschart, manager of the environmental health division at Franklin County Public Health.
According to the World Health Organization, no mosquito-borne Zika virus cases have been reported in the U.S. but there are many travel-associated cases, including at least five in Ohio.