Three cases of the Zika virus in Alabama, including one in Pelham, involved people who had traveled outside the country, authorities said Monday. There has been no local transmission, the Alabama Department of Public Health said. "There has been no evidence ... of mosquitoes in Alabama carrying this virus," UAB School of Medicine professor Dr. Jodie Dionne-Odom said. People who do not travel outside the state are unlikely to contract the virus, she said. Infection with the Zika virus causes only mild symptoms in the majority of the cases, but the biggest risk is to pregnant women, state health officials said.
You can help keep mosquitoes off of your skin and out of your yard by following these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
--When going outdoors, use EPA-registered repellents containing 20 percent DEET on skin or permethrin on clothes. Follow label instructions carefully when using any repellent.
--Repellents should not be used on infants less than 2 months old.
--Wear loose-fitting long sleeves and long pants.
--Install or repair screens on windows and doors. Use air-conditioning, if available.
--Empty standing water from items outside homes such as flowerpots, buckets, old tires and children's pools.--Clean clogged gutters and clear drainage ditches and pipes of debris.
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