Metro Mosquito Control lab monitoring Zika virus

Zika Virus Could Turn Into "Explosive Pandemic"

Metro Mosquito Control monitoring Zika virus

Bryan Piatt6:46 PM. CST January 28, 2016

The lab at the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District in St. Paul is quiet in the winter. But, they are still monitoring theZikavirus.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The lab at the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District in St. Paul is quiet in the winter. But, they are still monitoring the Zika virus.

People in Minnesota shouldn"t be worried about local transmission of this virus right now, says vector ecologist Kirk Johnson.

Johnson says the Zika virus is only known to spread through two types of mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Johnson says they have found Aedes albopictus in Minnesota before, but it did not survive the winter. We do have similar types of mosquitoes in Minnesota, but none that are known to transmit Zika virus, he says.

The mosquitoes that do transmit the Zika virus are more common in the southern part of the United States.The Zika virus is being actively spread right now in south and central America.

Johnson says there"s concern about Minnesotans who are traveling to those parts of the world. We should expect to see multiple travel-associated cases of Zika infections in the U.S. and Minnesota residents in the next few months, he says.

Johnson says they"ll be watching closely for any new types of mosquitoes that could transmit the Zika virus when the winter comes to an end.

We"ll be observing as the season warms and we see the mosquito season start to spread further north whether this virus is actually being transmitted in the United States, he says.

The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says pregnant women, or women who want to become pregnant, should be especially careful if they"re traveling to countries where the Zika virus is spreading.KARE 11 learned Thursday that most major airlines and cruise lines are now offering refunds, or offering to rebook flights, for pregnant travelers.

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Source: http://www.kare11.com/news/metro-mosquito-control-lab-monitoring-zika-virus/24339318