The rapid spread of the Zika virus across the Americas has many concerned about the health of their unborn children, particularly residents of San Mateo and Alameda counties where the Aedes family of mosquito have previously been found. Though Skyline College in not located in either county, the geographic proximity is a consideration for the young student population, the majority of whom are considered prime childbearing age.

“It’s pretty concerning,” said Skyline student Nate Cordova, who has been alerted to the spread of the virus through social media. “Everyone should at least look into it, be concerned about it.”

The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947, but was thought to only cause a mild illness. It wasn’t until September 2015 that an outbreak of the virus in Brazil coincided with outbreaks of microcephaly, a debilitating birth defect which causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development. An outbreak of a potentially crippling disease, Guillain-Barre Syndrome also appeared.

A team of government disease detectives led by the US Center for Disease Control went to Brazil on Monday to investigate whether there is a connection between Zika and these life threatening illnesses. Though there may still be a chance that the outbreaks are coincidental, the seriousness of microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome have many concerned about the virus, particularly given its ease of transmission.

The first sexually transmitted case of the Zika virus was confirmed in Texas in early February, and that number has since risen to 14 in the US. This may be a sign that the virus is more easily sexually transmitted than previously thought, according to The New York Times, and has researchers working to gather as much data about the virus and its spread as possible.

However, Zika is still primarily spread by the Aedes mosquito, also known as the yellow fever mosquito. This mosquito is found in 12 counties in California, though there have been no confirmed cases of these mosquitoes carrying the virus yet.

Fourth semester Skyline student Erin Sheedy has heard about the possibility of the virus spreading to California via the Aedes mosquito, but is waiting to see how Zika develops before becoming overly worried. “I try not to get too worked up about it,” she said, “Otherwise I’ll just freak myself out.”

California health officials are preparing for the warmer months ahead when mosquito populations jump, and are currently evaluating the potential threat to California residents. In the Bay Area Peninsula, the Mosquito and Vector Control District has been working to eradicate the Aedes mosquito since it was first introduced to San Mateo county in 2013.

However, residents of San Mateo County don’t appear to be concerned, according to Colin Jenkins, owner of Occasions, Etc. in downtown Menlo Park. The boutique, which specializes in unique baby gifts, is located near where the Aedes mosquito has previously been found, but Jenkins hasn’t noticed disquiet in the community or expecting families. “Especially with the drought, it seems like there’s not enough standing water for mosquitoes to breed.”

According to the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District website, Aedes mosquito populations in the Bay Area have been kept low through “house-to-house inspections for invasive mosquitoes, intensive mosquito population surveillance, and treatment or elimination of standing water where mosquitoes may breed”.

The website also hosts information on how the public can assist with the mosquito elimination efforts. Key suggestions include removing standing water, turning over containers to avoid rainwater collection, avoid transporting plants or items that may contain mosquito larvae from outside California into the state, and keep an eye out for mosquitos biting during the day.

This is particularly important as only the Aedes mosquito bites during the day, unlike most native California species who prefer dusk.  One surprising piece of information is how little water these mosquitos really need. “Invasive Aedes have become adapted to live alongside humans, and can reproduce in standing water in containers as small as a soda bottle cap,” said Megan Caldwell, Public Health Education and Outreach Officer for the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District. “The District can’t possibly find and eliminate every tiny container of water in the county, so we depend on the public to do their part and keep their yards free of mosquito habitat.”

Erin Sheedy, though not overtly worried about Zika, has remained cautious and heeded these directions. “At my house, we have this bucket thing, we emptied the water out of it because of that,” said Sheedy, “But I think if I was a homeowner, I might be more worried about it.”

“I might be more worried about it if I had my own place too,” agreed first semester student Hannah Collins, “I live with my parents, so I’m not that worried about it, my parents are on top of it.” For many Skyline students this may be the case, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any standing water that may be near your home or on campus.

As of Feb. 24, the CDC reported 107 travel associated cases of the Zika virus in the United States, with only 6 cases reported in California. Texas has already reported 13 cases and Florida 28, showing perhaps what California can expect as the warmer months approach. Still, the likelihood of an immediate spread of the virus to the Bay Area is low.

Like other mosquito borne diseases, the Zika virus needs three things to happen in order to spread amongst a community. First, a mosquito must feed on an infected human and pick up the disease, then it must wait to become infectious itself. Finally, another human must be bitten by that mosquito in order to pass along the infection. Luckily, the chance that all three steps will occur is slim here, according to Caldwell. “We simply don’t have many humans with active infections, many mosquitoes that can transmit these diseases, or much exposure of humans to mosquitoes (e.g. we tend to use air conditioning and have screened windows, unlike many places in South and Central America). It’s not impossible, but the risk of local transmission of these viruses in our county right now is extremely low.”

Though the Bay Area remains at low risk, the quick spread of the virus throughout South and Central America and its potentially devastating effects have prompted the World Health Organization to label it a “public health emergency of international concern” and President Obama has asked Congress for $1.9 billion to spend on research and prevention. The main goal now is to stop the spread of the virus while scientists ascertain its connection to microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome and gather key research.

For the part of regular citizens, everyone can help avoid a Zika outbreak in the Bay Area by following the guidelines set down by the Mosquito and Vector Control District and the CDC, and by making sure to remove standing water around homes and businesses.

Update: The article has been replaced with the most recent version available and the headline for this article was changed from “Mosquitoes found in San Mateo and Alameda known to carry Zika virus” to “Type of mosquito known to carry Zika virus found in San Mateo and Alameda Counties”. 2:32 p.m. 3/23/2016