Are you suffering from a fever after many days? Are you also facing skin rashes, pain in the joints and muscles and headaches along with the fever? If yes, then there may be a chance that you are suffering from the Zika virus. Caused by the daytime active mosquitoes – Aedes – this virus was originally found in monkeys. Infected Aedes mosquitoes (those mosquitoes that bite the animals having Zika virus) are the primary carriers of this virus to the humans. Zika virus is mainly caused by the mosquito bite, but this disease can also be transferred by sexual intercourse and blood transfusion. Symptoms of this illness are very mild and prevalent ones, like fever, red eyes, rashes and joint pain, which can last for two to seven days. People who are infected by the Zika virus are more prone to the syndrome called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), according to some studies which connect the two. This disease weakens the immune system, and it becomes one’s enemy. A person’s immune system can damage their own nerve cells which results in the weakness of muscles and, in the worst case scenario, it can cause paralysis. Apart from this, this virus can harm the upcoming generation too. If a pregnant lady is suffering from this disease, then there is a high risk of severe congenital disabilities in the offspring and it can be transferred from the mother to the child. So in all, this virus can affect you and your upcoming generations if not cured on time. Even now, no effective solution for the treatment of this disease has been discovered. Scientists are still working on the medicines and vaccines for killing the Zika virus. So in this situation, it would be best to take some steps to protect yourself from Zika virus, rather than regret later. Below are six important steps that can protect you from Zika virus.
1. Avoid mosquitoes with your clothes
The first and the most common door for the Zika virus to enter in your body is the mosquito bite. An effective way to keep mosquitoes away from you are your clothing patterns. To avoid mosquitoes and their bites, try to wear full and light colored clothes. Mosquitoes are more attracted towards dark colors as they are clearly visible. So fully covered clothes can absorb the heat and light colored clothes can help you to avoid mosquitoes.
2. Use insect repellent
Another way to keep these little creatures away from you is to use insect repellent products. Neem extracts are found to be useful to stave away these insects and nowadays the market is full of different varieties to choose from. Use any one of them according to your skin type. Apply them after body lotion or sunscreen to the exposed parts of the body and do consult a doctor before using them on a newborn child.
3. Keep the environment clean
Another effective way, and probably the most convenient way, to keep this deadly disease away from you is keeping your surroundings clean. If the environment around you is dry and clean, then there are fewer chances of breeding of mosquitoes. Insects are highly attracted to dirtier places, and especially as disease-carrying mosquitoes reproduce in piled up water. Keep the place around you neat and clean and try to remove all the potential mosquito breeding grounds. Standing water in used tires, pots, gutters, etc. are some of the most common mosquito breeding sites.
4. Avoid Zika affected areas
The next important thing to avoid Zika virus is not traveling to the Zika virus-affected areas. Avoid the places affected by Zika virus as much as possible. If still, you are traveling to those locations, then take the other mentioned necessary precautions. It could prevent you from getting infected. Also, avoid going to places full of mosquitoes. Aedes mosquitoes are highly active in the morning and the afternoons, so it will be better to stay at home at these peak times.
5. Practise safe sex
Use safety measures before sex to avoid Zika virus. Zika virus can also be transferred from sexual intercourse, so stick to suitable contraceptive methods to have safe sex. Use condoms and avoid sharing sex toys. Pregnant women should take more precautions in such conditions. They should avoid going to Zika affected area as much as possible and if urgent, should consult their doctor once.
6. Use mosquito nets
Last, but not the least, use mosquito nets to prevent mosquito bites. Pre-treated mosquito nets will be more effective at keeping the insects at bay. As already mentioned, there is no vaccine or medicine developed yet to kill the Zika virus. So, it will be safe to take these preventive measures beforehand rather than regret it later.
