Kits that could help protect pregnant women against the Zika virus are now being distributed.
PA Department of Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy states “The Departments of Health and Environmental Protection have been working closely to implement the Commonwealth’s Zika Response Plan to better help us protect the health of more than 12 million people who call Pennsylvania home.”
To most of the population, the Zika virus only has very mild symptoms. However it has been shown to cause birth defects in unborn children so pregnant women are at risk.
The kits contain things like insect repellant, a substance to put in standing water to prevent mosquitoes from forming, and educational materials. According to Murphy, 2,500 kits will be distributed to locations across the state.
“They will be distributed at county and municipal health departments, federally qualified health centers. There is no charge. They are designed for women who are in need or homeless,” Murphy explained.
For more information, visit zika.pa.gov. Currently the only reported cases of Zika in Pennsylvania are people who contracted the virus while visiting an area where it is actively spreading. No cases of Zika in the continental U.S. have occurred as a result of locally acquired infections.
Written by Ryan Saeler
The post Zika Prevention Kits Now Available appeared first on Inside Butler County – Butler, PA.
