Zika Virus Carrier Found In Long Beach: Symptoms Of Disease Amid Rising Travel-Related Cases In California

In what is being said as the first detection of an Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika, dengue, and other viruses, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) found it in the Long Beach City, a place where mosquito control is under the jurisdiction of the Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District.

"We are actively informing and encouraging residents and visitors to take necessary precautions to prevent mosquito bites," Mayor Robert Garcia said. "I’m proud of the outreach the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is conducting across our diverse communities," she added, according to a press release issued by the Long Beach City government Monday.

Although the health officials noted that the mosquitoes have been previously found in other southern California regions, this was the first sign of their presence in the Long Beach. In March, a Zika-affected baby was born in San Diego County with "devastating birth defects" after his mother contracted the virus while traveling abroad. The baby was the first in southern California to be born with such defects, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

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The official Twitter page of the Long Beach City also informed people about the detection of the Aedes aegypti mosquito along with a helpline number on which the citizens can call and gather more information related to the insect.

The virus can be transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Moreover, it can also be transmitted through sexual contact and is easily transferred from a pregnant mother to her baby. If the mosquitoes are detected at an early stage before they spread in a community, avoiding local transmission of the disease becomes easier. The press release also stated that there has been no local transmission of Zika in California so far.

Those infected with Zika virus will not show any symptoms or, at times, might show mild symptoms. Common symptoms of the virus include fever, rashes, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain. Zika usually shows mild symptoms which can last for several days or weeks. Those affected by Zika usually do not notice the symptoms at an early stage and therefore do not feel the need to visit a hospital. Symptoms of Zika are similar to other viruses that are spread through mosquito bites like dengue and chikungunya, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Since 2011, the species of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been identified in several cities in the U.S. including Los Angeles County. Many cities have reported Aedes aegypti — also known as the yellow fever mosquitoes, and Aedes albopictus also known as Asian tiger mosquitoes — which can also transmit Zika, reports said.

In California, 561 patients have been diagnosed with travel-related Zika since 2015, according to California Department of Public Health Division of Communicable Disease Control. If an Aedes mosquito bites a Zika-infected human being, it could carry the virus and transmit it to whoever it bites.

Meanwhile, nationwide, 136 Zika virus disease cases have been reported, out of which 135 cases were reported in travelers who had returned to the U.S. from ZIka-affected areas, according to CDC.