Ideal conditions for mosquitoes
Two species of mosquitoes that can carry the virus are found in parts of this country. Humid, warm cities in the South are particularly good habitats for the main carrier, Aedes aegypti, which lives in urban areas and only bites humans.
Estimated range of:
Aedes aegypti
Aedes albopictus
both mosquitoes
WA
ME
MT
ND
VT
MN
OR
NH
ID
WI
SD
NY
WY
MI
IA
PA
NE
NV
OH
IN
IL
UT
CA
WV
CO
VA
KS
MO
KY
Estimated range of:
NC
TN
OK
AR
AZ
Aedes aegypti
SC
NM
MS
AL
GA
Aedes albopictus
LA
TX
AK
both mosquitoes
FL
HI
PR
WA
ME
MT
ND
VT
MN
OR
NH
ID
WI
SD
NY
WY
MI
IA
PA
NE
NV
OH
IN
IL
UT
CA
WV
CO
VA
KS
MO
KY
Estimated range of:
NC
TN
OK
AR
Aedes aegypti
AZ
SC
NM
MS
AL
GA
Aedes albopictus
LA
TX
AK
both mosquitoes
FL
HI
PR
Pregnant women are most at risk
A pregnant woman who is infected by a mosquito bite can pass Zika to her fetus, which puts it at risk of serious birth defects. The virus can also be spread from an infected man or woman to their sexual partners. Based on birth rates, more than 2 million pregnant women in 20 Zika-prone states and large cities could be at risk this summer.
A pregnant woman with Zika has few options
The severe birth defect called microcephaly cannot be detected by ultrasound until more than halfway through pregnancy. At that point, most women have few options if they decide to terminate their pregnancy, since 14 states ban abortion after 20 weeks’ gestation.
Some states have fewer resources for prevention
States can use Medicaid funding to pay for contraception and mosquito repellent to help prevent Zika, but eligibility rules vary and many states haven’t expanded coverage to all low-income adults. Nineteen states did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Zika risk factors in the U.S.
Ae. albopictus
Both mosquitoes
Alabama
Arkansas
Delaware
D.C.
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
Ae. albopictus
Both mosquitoes
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Ae. albopictus
Both mosquitoes
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Ohio
Wisconsin
North Dakota
South Dakota
Ae. albopictus
Both mosquitoes
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming
Alaska
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