The state will start distributing Zika preparedness kits to protect pregnant women from contracting the disease.
For most, contracting the Zika Virus means itching and a mild fever, but for babies born to mothers who’ve contracted Zika can have birth defects.
That’s why the Delaware Division of Public Health is sending Zika prevention kits to 11 clinics statewide.
Medical Director Dr. Awele Maduka-Ezeh said the main type of mosquito that transmits Zika is rare in Delaware. Though, she said it is possible that the Asian Tiger Mosquito, which is common here, could become a carrier, too. "If someone comes back from an area where there’s ongoing transmission of Zika Virus and gets bitten by one of these Asian Tiger Mosquitos, at least theoretically, they could transmit that infection here in Delaware,” Maduka-Ezeh said.
The kits include tips on Zika prevention, insect repellent, thermometers to detect fever, and condoms, as the Zika Virus can be sexually transmitted.
The kits should be available the first week in June at clinics enrolled in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC.