The state has unveiled an aggressive new plan to fight mosquitoes that could possibly carry the Zika virus.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the objective is to first attend to those travelers who come home from countries with a significant outbreak of the virus, and then ultimately stop the mosquitoes themselves.
The six-step action plan includes distributing larvicide tablets to the region, encouraging people to place them in standing water like flower pots, children's toys and plastic containers after it rains.
The state will be monitoring the specific Zika-carrying mosquitoes through special trapping and enhanced testing.
Free Zika protection kits will be provided to pregnant women. Rapid response teams will be sent to wherever a local case of Zika is confirmed.
All local health departments will have to submit their own Zika action plan with updated protocols.
Lastly, the state is expected to launch a new public awareness campaign to educate more people.
Gov. Cuomo says Zika is serious not only to pregnant women because it can cause birth defects in newborns, but it can affect non-pregnant people as well.
According to Cuomo, about 49 cases so far in the state of New York have been reported, and that number is expected to go up. Nassau County has one confirmed case of Zika, and in Suffolk there are three confirmed cases.