THEY’RE ALREADY TESTING FOR THE ZIKA VIRUS AT UNITED BLOOD SERVICES IN ALBUQUERQUE. NOW, BLOOD BANKS ACROSS THE U-S HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DO THE SAME BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
STATE HEALTH VETERINARIAN DR. PAUL ETTESTAD SAYS WE’VE HAD SEVERAL RESIDENTS HERE CONTRACT THE VIRUS WHILE THEY WERE OUT OF THE COUNTRY. HE SAYS THERE WAS ONE IN CHAVEZ, SEVERAL IN BERNALILLO COUNTY, ONE IN DONA ANA COUNTY AND ONE RECENTLY CONFIRMED IN SANTA FE COUNTY.
ETTESTAD TELLS THE STATE IS LUCKY THAT NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE SUFFERED THEIR SYMPTOMS WHILE IN THE LOCATION WHERE THE MOSQUITOS WERE LOCATED. THAT’S THE CASE RIGHT NOW IN MIAMI.
ZIKA CARRYING MOSQUITOS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN SEVERAL NEW MEXICO COUNTIES … INCLUDING DONA ANA, EDDY, CHAVEZ, OTERO, AND CURRY. AND SIERRA COUNTY WAS ADDED TO THE LIST JUST LAST WEEK.
