Gerritsen & Marine Park Getting Sprayed For Zika Virus

The Health Department is targeting mosquito breeding grounds around Gerritsen Beach and Marine Park over the next three days in order to reduce the risk of a Zika or West Nile virus outbreak this summer.

Starting Thursday, the city will conducting arial spraying operations around marshlands in the outer boroughs in order to bring down mosquito populations. In Brooklyn, this will take place in the Marine Park Salt Marsh, as well as Fresh Creek Basin in East New York.

The spraying is scheduled to occur between 6am and 7pm up until Saturday — though the Health Department notes the operation might finish sooner than expected.

There have so far been 78 reported cases of Zika virus in New York City, 13 of those were pregnant women, according to the Health Department. All of the Zika cases were contracted in other countries, and the patients have recovered.

Zika has been making its way through South America and the Caribbean, and officials worry the disease find its way to the United States this summer. The virus spreads through mosquitos and causes a mild fever, rash, muscle and joint pain and general unwellness for between two and seven days. However, Zika has also been linked to birth defects and neurological disorders to children born to women infected with the disease during pregnancy.

For more information about the Zika virus, visit the Health Department’s website.