THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT COUNTIES ARE AT RISK FOR ZIKA TRANSMISSION. PUBLIC HEALTH VETERINARIAN PAUL ETTESTAD SAYS NMSU GRAD STUDENTS ARE TESTING MOSQUITOS FROM SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO UP TO BERNALILLO COUNTY … AND ADDED SIERRA COUNTY TO THE LIST THIS PAST WEEK.
ETTESTAD TELLS US THESE MOSQUITOS ARE DAYTIME BITERS. HE SAYS RESIDENTS NEED TO GET RID OF ANY STANDING WATER IN THEIR YARD TO KEEP THE MOSQUITOS FROM BREEDING AND HOVERING NEAR THOSE BODIES OF WATER.
ZIKA IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS TO PREGNANT WOMEN, AS IT’S LINKED TO MICROCEPHALY, A BIRTH DEFECT. OTHER NEW MEXICO COUNTIES WHERE ZIKA MOSQUITOS HAVE BEEN FOUND ARE DONA ANA, EDDY, CHAVEZ, OTERO, AND CURRY.
