The Cayman Islands has had good mosquito abatement programs for years, especially Grand Cayman, but it is in the tropics and you can run into problems with mosquitos after heavy rains.
But they have had a low incidence of mosquito-borne illnesses for many years and the government has been on the warpath against Zika since it emerged in the Caribbean. Zika is the mosquito-borne virus that can cause microcephaly in babies if the pregnant mother is bitten by a mosquito carrying Zika.
Last year they had a few imported cases and then a few locally-transmitted cases and the CDC put Cayman on their Zika Watch List. But in addition to spraying for mosquitos and taking other abatement precautions, the government contracted a scientific company to release genetically altered male mosquitos. When these altered mosquitos mate with females their offspring dies off before reaching maturity.
Apparently all this hard work and expense has paid off because they haven't had any more locally-transmitted cases and the CDC has removed them from the watch list!
That's really great news, not only for the local population, but also because tourism is such an important component of their economy.
Cayman removed from US Zika list | Cayman Compass
But they have had a low incidence of mosquito-borne illnesses for many years and the government has been on the warpath against Zika since it emerged in the Caribbean. Zika is the mosquito-borne virus that can cause microcephaly in babies if the pregnant mother is bitten by a mosquito carrying Zika.
Last year they had a few imported cases and then a few locally-transmitted cases and the CDC put Cayman on their Zika Watch List. But in addition to spraying for mosquitos and taking other abatement precautions, the government contracted a scientific company to release genetically altered male mosquitos. When these altered mosquitos mate with females their offspring dies off before reaching maturity.
Apparently all this hard work and expense has paid off because they haven't had any more locally-transmitted cases and the CDC has removed them from the watch list!
That's really great news, not only for the local population, but also because tourism is such an important component of their economy.
Cayman removed from US Zika list | Cayman Compass
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