Nassau County health officials say they need the public’s help as they roll out their action plan to prevent the spread of the Zika virus this summer.
Nassau County Commissioner of Health Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein says while there are no known cases of Zika being transmitted within the United States, people need to take the risk seriously. He says residents need to pitch in by making sure there is no standing water on their properties.
“The types of mosquitoes that carry Zika are different from the types of mosquitoes we typically deal with. These are container breeders, is what they’re called. So if you have a recycle box outside and a bottle cap gets a half an inch of water, that’s the perfect site for mosquito breeding.”
Nassau’s Zika Action Plan consists of trapping, surveillance and public education. The Department of Health has already set up 42 traps across the county, and the Girl Scouts will help spread the word on actions residents can take to remove standing water.