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The student reporters of the KACU news team bring you the stories that affect our community.

Zika: Local Officials Urge Public To Think Prevention

Infographic courtesy of the CDC

The Taylor County Health District and the city of Abilene are working together to launch a Zika prevention campaign this summer. Their goal is to educate residents about how to minimize risk of contracting the virus.  

According to the Texas Department of Health, Texas has had 33 confirmed cases of Zika this year. Most of those have been related to people becoming infected while traveling abroad but that is expected to change soon. The mosquito that will transmit Zika is already in Taylor County and that means the virus be transmitted any day.

“It’s really just a matter of time and that’s why we’re really trying to emphasize prevention, bite prevention,” said Mark Lueke, Epidemiologist for the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District.

You may have already stocked up on mosquito repellants but Lueke says the chemical permethrin that can also help.

“You buy this chemical, mix it with some water, put your clothes in it, let it soak for a little while and let it dry,” Lueke said. “It works as an insect repellant that you don’t have to keep applying.”

Protecting yourself is important but city officials want residents to help protect one another especially because of all the rain Abilene has seen this week. Vincent Cantu works in emergency preparedness for the health department, he’s urging the public to manage standing water.

“We really want to get people to at least start dumping water but I don’t know how important or how high of a priority that is on their list of things to do but we’re going to try and change that,” Cantu said.

Even after clearing standing water, eggs might still survive and hatch, Cantu recommends spreading sand over those areas.

Residents can turn to Texaszika.org or visit the Public Health District’s facebook or twitter feed for more updates. The health department will also be handing out Zika prevention kits that will include mosquito dunks and a repellent containing DEET.