Until recently the well known Zika virus was only being contracted (directly from mosquito's) outside of the United States.Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Unfortunately this is not the case anymore. The amount of people bite by Zika carrying mosquito's has surged in the last couple of weeks in Miami, Florida. The total rate of infection now at an astounding 14 people. Despite Miami's efforts to spray insecticides the mosquito's do not seem to be dying, this could be because of breeding in obscure places or not being harmed by the type of insecticide used.

picture from : http://wncn.com/2016/02/19/1st-case-of-zika-virus-confirmed-in-nc/

Fortunately for Florida, Zika unlike west nile does not house the disease in animals. Zika is a very real threat to the health and well being of future generations. Unfortunately i believe that we do not even know the extent to which Zika effects fetus' as well as the mother and therefore scientist and doctors truly need to devote time to stopping this virus from spreading even more.

https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-ticker/zika-carrying-mosquitoes-eluding-control-efforts-miami

The Claim: To Repel Mosquitoes, Use a House Fan

One year ago, the New York Times tuned into a problem that can sometimes take the fun out of summer—mosquitoes. While they are a good source of protein to a number of animals, as well as key pollinators in the ecosystem, they are also known for spreading West Nile Virus from infected birds to humans. Even those humans who do not contract the virus find it hard to love the little pests.

This particular article suggests that we veer away from strong chemical repellents and instead focus on a more natural solution, a house fan. A fan creates a soothing wind chill, and wind already occurs without our help. Conclusion: On the “natural” scale, fan beats DEET. Not only does a fan force tiny mosquitoes away from your skin, but it also disperses the carbon dioxide you exhale. Did you know that it is CO₂ that makes mosquitoes fall in love with you?

I find this article and the additional links to be very helpful, because I hate to suffer or witness the negative effects of mosquitoes—whether a small bite or a serious virus. A thought we can reflect on is that we do not necessarily have to kill every mosquito that invites itself over for dinner. After all, whether we recognize it or not, they are constantly playing important roles in nature.

Photograph: CDC/Paul I. Howell, MPH/Prof. Frank Hadley Collins