Zika virus questions

Walt Disney World has a very good mosquito control program, and I have rarely gotten a bite when on vacation there. Most other places I am feasted upon by the little buggers. However this is Florida, so they do exist and no one can be 100% safe. Mosquito bites happen. As far as I understand all of the Florida Zika cases reported so far have been travel related and not caught locally.

Here are a few suggestions for increasing your protection while on vacation in Walt Disney World.

1) Try to avoid heavily wooded and/or swampy areas. I.e. if you are concerned about Zika, staying at Ft. Wilderness is not a good idea. Alligator Bayou at Port Orleans may also be questionable, as would the SSR Treehouses IMHO.

2) Wear bug spray at all times, a bug product containing DEET will give you the best protection. Make sure that you BOTH do this, men who become infected with Zika can carry the virus in their sperm for several months. This means that it can be transmitted sexually, but condoms diminish the risk.

3) Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus bite mostly during the daytime, make sure you reapply during the day.

4) Long pants and long sleeved shirts, as well as layered clothing will help to minimize your risk. You can also look into clothing that has bug repellant embedded into it. You want to look for permethrin-treated items that can be found at many sporting goods stores.

5) Read up on Zika information for travelers from the CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/pdfs/fs_mosquito_bite_prevention_travelers.pdf

Hi Danielle, I am from the UK too and whatever time of year we go to WDW we do get bitten by mosquitos if we don't wear repellent. I can't stand the smell of a lot of insect repellents but Boots (own brand) have a suncream and aftersun which contain insect repellent but don't smell bad. The aftersun was recommended to me by an English lady who lives in Spain. I don't actually wear the Boots suncream as I wear Ultrasun for my sensitive skin, but I always put the aftersun on before we go out in the evening and I have never been bitten while wearing it. Obviously there are no guarantees but this works for me and my husband.

Hi Dani, Like Kristen, I'm a mosquito smorgasbord most places. I've only ever been bit once at WDW and that was at Fort Wilderness on the boat dock at dusk, so that's an area that I'd avoid for sure.

I've been bitten on a couple of occasions in the World. Once at night(dusk) we were sitting waiting for Fantasmic to start, one or two, nothing major. The other was when we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside. I got savaged there!! I know it sounds awful, but I got bitten multiple times, but my wife, not once. Our friends stayed there 2wks after us and again she got bitten multiple time but her husband didn't get bitten at all. It was a few years ago and I think we were in block 85 on the Sassagoula Circle.

The reason you don't see any bugs at Disney is because they have their own called "Mousequitos".

They are bred in a secret lab under Magic Kingdom in the utilidors and released each evening from unmarked white vans that visit all locations on the property. Once bitten, you must return to Disney again and again. You simply can't resist. They leave no mark on the skin like normal mosquitos so the bites go mostly unnoticed and people claim they've never been bitten by mosquitos. But really, you have.

This is much more serious than Zika.

KenJ you made my day! I was having a very bad day and you gave me a very good long laugh!

apparently I have already been bitten. I keep breaking out in Disney trips, blogs, podcasts, and other infected behaviors.

We just got back and not a single bite we did use a bug spray by a company called Sawyer everyday though because it contains Picaridin, which is one of the chemicals that repels that nasty type of mosquito. It couldn't hurt to pick some up

Did you find it in a store or online??

Thought I would update this thread with the latest information from Florida this morning (7/7). The CDC has announced 11 more zika cases in Florida, they are still saying that all of the cases are travel related, not locally acquired.

We got it in a REI store, but it can be purchased online as well from tons of places.

Mod Update: A Zika Development 7/27/16

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article91990047.html

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/24/487237222/health-officials-investigate-two-possible-cases-of-zika-virus-outbreak-in-florid

Two cases of the Zika virus are now being reported in Florida that are NOT travel acquired. Sexual transmission may be to blame, but that is still undecided. The cases are in Miami Dade and Broward counties which are considerably south of Walt Disney World (which is in Orange County).

As we've all mentioned earlier in the thread, Disney has fantastic mosquito control. However - all guests should still take personal responsibility for their health and take precautions as they deem necessary.

I read an article this morning that 10 more cases are now confirmed. The cases are still south of Disney.

I was just reading that myself before hopping on this site. I am keeping Blondie sprayed down during camp and me too!

It's only an issue if your pregnant though right?

Not 100% sure. I just don't want to chance it with Blondie for the future... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY in the future!

The BBC in the UK are suggesting that pregnant women only travel to Florida if absolutely necessary.

If you contracted the virus, it would definately ruin your vacation as the symptoms are flu like. In some rare cases, there can be complications, so it would be sensible for everyone to take precautions and use insect repellent.

If you are pregnant - or plan on getting (or getting someone) pregnant soon. Men can carry the virus in their sperm for quite some time after becoming infected. The virus remains in semen for at least 6 months after a Zika diagnosis or start of symptoms and can be sexually transmitted to the female partner, thus putting the baby at risk for birth defects. This is why it is just as important that men be careful as well as women.

The normal virus symptoms are generally mild and somewhat flu like, including fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. MOst people don't even realize that they have become infected. For people who have no chance of reproduction in the next 6 months it is generally not that big of deal. The 10 new cases that are being cited today were discovered from a door to door canvasing of the neighborhood. If the CDC hadn't been going house to house they probably would never have been reported.

The CDC has now released a travel warning for Miami
http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/01/health/cdc-miami-florida-zika-travel-warning/

6 months. Well I fell better about Blondie now! That ain't happening anytime soon! Like for another 20-30 years....

But ya know, you never know with these things so I would rather play it safe!

Thanks for the info Kristen!

So my husband and I are looking at bringing our two and a half month old to the big meet up in October, just found out he is not allowed to use any kind of insect repellent at all until he is at least a year. What do you think we should do, my mom said leave him home in California and just pump and dump the breastmilk.

Honestly, I would still bring him, but that's me. You have to do what you feel is the best for your family. Miami is a four hour drive from Walt Disney World, and right now it is contained within a one square mile area. The world is not a safe place, but you can't let that stop you from living.

Here is what the CDC says about Zika and infants - Symptoms for babies under 18 months include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, or arthralgia (joint pain) for about a week in duration. At this time No cases of Zika virus infection associated with breastfeeding have been reported anywhere. http://www.cdc.gov/zika/hc-providers/infants-children.html

If you are feeling unsure, you may want to consider getting a clip on insect repellent that you can pop on the stroller or on yourself while wearing your little one. Click Here to see the Off version.