Zika Virus News and Mitigation Efforts in the US: New York Subway New Battleground Against Virus
New York City directs its attention underground as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) gets onboard the campaign against Zika virus on the New York subway.
At the direction of New York governor Andrew Cuomo, the transit agency would focus on decimating the mosquito population by directing bug-killing larvicide tablets in pools of standing water within the subway system to help mitigate potential threats of contagion, New York officials said Tuesday.
In a report from the Wall Street Journal, MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast said agency crews will drop the larvicide in pools of water given the virus' "sensitivity and visibility."
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According to Prendergast, some 13 million gallons of water enter the subway every day, which could serve as a potential breeding ground for Zika carriers. As such, they have directed their efforts at draining the subway system, and ensuring operational drains and pumping equipment.
The New York City subway is the largest in the country with six million daily customers, and the MTA pledged to take public health concerns alongside their operations seriously.
State officials assured the public that the larvicide is "safe for the environment." This will be done in coordination with the city's Health Department in order to keep the Zika virus at bay, Cuomo said.
The elimination of breeding mosquitoes on the subway is part of Cuomo's six-point Zika action plan for the city to limit the potential of an outbreak. This includes the launch of a public awareness campaign, the creation of a response team, and the set up of more than 267 traps throughout the city.
The city is also ramping up the distribution of larvicide tablets and Zika protection kits to pregnant women.
Zika is a virus transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito in South and Central America, and can cause birth defects in pregnant women. While this particular breed of mosquito is not present in New York, a related species named Aedes albopictus that could potentially be a carrier of the virus is currently active in New York's downstate region.
In a press release, Gov. Cuomo emphasized that the city government is taking aggressive action against such a "dangerous public health threat" to stop the disease at the source.
"As the Zika situation continues to evolve, we will remain vigilant and strengthen our prevention efforts to safeguard the public health and safety of all New Yorkers," he said.
