State to distribute Zika kits to pregnant women

State officials on June 1 will begin distributing Zika prevention kits containing condoms, mosquito repellent and thermometers to pregnant women.

After declaring Monday "Zika Awareness Day" to remind people of the best mosquito prevention techniques, public health officials announced they will be delivering kits to clinics certified to serve families enrolled in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Children, known as WIC.

WIC provides breastfeeding and nutrition information, healthy food and formula and referrals to other healthcare, welfare and social services. There are 11 locations statewide.

Any woman who is pregnant and seeking services through WIC will receive a kit after completing a brief questionnaire regarding travel history and pregnancy status, officials said.

Additional locations may receive kits in the future

"We are taking an ‘all hands on deck approach’ and working closely with many partners to get the word out and reduce the potential of local transmission,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of Delaware's Division of Public Health in a statement.

It is not likely Delaware will see a Zika outbreak this summer, but officials are still being vigilant about outreach as the number of reported cases rises and there is no vaccine or antiviral medications available to fight the virus.

So far, three Delawareans have tested positive after being bitten by infected mosquitoes abroad. No one was pregnant.

The virus, which typically spreads through the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it can lead serious birth defects like microcephaly.

It also can be sexually transmitted by infected males, but in most cases symptoms only result in a mild fever. Close to 50 countries have reported cases.

In the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest report on May 18, there were 544 cases in the United States, all acquired through international travel. Ten cases were sexually transmitted and 157 pregnant women have been infected.

In U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, there have been 832 cases in which the virus spread by local mosquitoes.

“We are taking this opportunity to reach out through email and social media to schools, business organizations, nonprofits, and the medical community to provide Zika prevention information,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf.

“It is important that we remind people about basic steps we can all take to reduce the risk not only of Zika, should it spread to mosquitoes in the United States, but also of other mosquito-borne illnesses. Zika Awareness Day is about reminding people that a few precautions can reduce the risk of being bitten, including using mosquito repellent and reducing standing water around your home.”

Travel and Transmission Advisories

• Pregnant women should postpone travel to countries where Zika virus transmission is present. 
• If you traveled to an affected area up to eight weeks before the pregnancy was confirmed, discuss travel history with a doctor.
• If your male sexual partner has traveled or lives in an area with Zika transmission, use condoms for vaginal, anal and oral sex for the duration of the pregnancy.
• If you are trying to become pregnant and have been diagnosed or experience Zika symptoms wait at least eight weeks before trying to conceive.
• Men diagnosed with Zika should wait at least six months after symptoms appear before having unprotected sex.
• Men and women who do not have symptoms of Zika, but had possible exposure through recent travel or sexual contact should wait at least eight weeks after potential exposure before trying to conceive in order to minimize risk. 
• Use condoms when in countries with active Zika transmission
• Couples not intending to get pregnant should use contraception every time they are sexually active.
• Health care providers should ask all patients about recent travel
• All pregnant women who traveled to a Zika-affected area should be evaluated and tested for the virus

Mosquito prevention tips

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents and always follow the product label instructions.
• If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen before applying insect repellent.
• Treat clothing and gear with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated items, which remain protective after multiple washings.
• Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are overseas or outside and not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes.

For further information  visit: http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/zika.html. To learn more about Zika mandatory reporting and how to authorize medical testing, call (302) 744-4990 or email reportdisease@state.de.us.

Jen Rini can be reached at (302)324-2386 or jrini@delawareonline.com. Follow @JenRini on Twitter.