The Washington Post: As Mosquito Season Shifts into High Gear, Mosquito Joe Helps Squash Zika Fears

As the weather warms up and the threat of Zika grows, many D.C. area residents are taking extra precautions this year to prevent infection.

This growing public fear has led to growth in the mosquito control industry in the area. Mosquito Joe, which has three D.C. are franchises has reported a 32 percent jump in new customers in this region alone, with a 50 percent jump this year nationwide.

“The real sign will be in June and July, when the kids are out of school and start getting bit,” Wilson said. “That’s when we’ll see the uptick in volume. I can’t image it this year, when the kids are getting bit, and all people are thinking about now is Zika.”

Public health officials are warning of the danger of the virus, especially for pregnant women. While the outbreak has largely been contained in the Caribbean and Latin America, warming weather means Zika carrying mosquitoes could arrive stateside sooner rather than later. There have been over 500 cases confirmed in the U.S. to date, with over 30 in the D.C. area.