Zika remains a threat, with 5 cases logged in Maryland this year (Baltimore Sun)
Thursday Mar 30th, 2017
Zika is back — the threat never really went away.
Maryland already has logged five cases of the virus among travelers this year and Florida has reported residents infected locally.
With mosquito season about to begin, state and local public health officials are gearing up efforts for a new outbreak of the Zika virus blamed for devastating brain defects in newborns and neurological and eye problems in adults.
The effort to prevent infections gained added urgency this month after researchers tied the mosquito-borne virus to potentially deadly heart problems.
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In Baltimore, health department officials also handed out kits and worked to drain standing water. They are working on a similar plan for this year.
Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore health commissioner, said the city has an inter-agency task force that is prepared to ramp up education and prevention efforts, and to respond if there is a local case.
Wen, who is pregnant, said residents cannot let down their guard.
"There still seems to be information coming out every week about the risks and transmission," she said. "In the city we were prepared last year and we will continue to be prepared this year."