
Trapping the Zika Virus
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The Zika virus spreading through South and Central America was previously considered a mild pathogen, but a possible link to birth defects has elevated the obscure mosquito-borne disease to a public health emergency. Though Zika and Ebola are very different in transmission and symptoms, the same lessons learned from the West African outbreak can be applied in the Americas. As they did for Ebola, the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) has outlined a response plan based at the community level. In addition to limiting exposure to mosquitoes and advising travelers, NECSI’s plan takes control efforts one step further: offering female mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs, but with a deadly surprise. READ MORE