While comparatively few cases of Zika virus have been identified in the United States, the National Park Service has been working to keep visitors, and employees, on top of the situation and is recommending that everyone visiting National Park System sites in Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico take precautions to ward off mosquitoes.

Zika, a mosquito-borne virus, is a non-native disease spreading in multiple countries and territories in the Western Hemisphere. This virus has been linked with severe birth defects and other complications. The mosquitoes that transmit the virus prefer to feed on humans and breed in containers and other non-natural habitats. Park visitors should be aware of the potential risk for Zika and take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

On a webpage dedicated to the Zika virus, the Park Service discusses what is known about the virus and how it is transmitted, countries where the virus is known to exist and be transmitted, how best to protect yourself, how you can combat the mosquitoes that carry the virus at home, and even advice specific to Florida.