Fit Organic Identifies Top 10 Zika Zones In The U.S.

Texas Most at Risk with Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio on The List

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Jun 28, 2016, 08:00 ET

CINCINNATI, June 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fit Organic, one of the nation's leading makers of USDA-certified organic consumer products, today released its list of the Top 10 Zika Zones in the United States. These zones highlight metropolitan areas across the country where residents could be most at risk for exposure to the Zika virus. Texas dominates the list with four of the state's largest cities in the Top 10, including Dallas-Fort Worth which came in at #1.

Fit Organic's Top 10 Zika Zones infographic highlights metropolitan areas across the country where residents could be most at risk for exposure to the Zika virus. It also offers tips for Americans to protect themselves from mosquitoes that might carry the Zika virus.

The list ranks metropolitan areas based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and proprietary market intelligence around consumer demand for mosquito repellent in the United States. The CDC recently released a map showing the current distribution of the Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus mosquitos, the main carriers of the Zika virus. Utilizing the CDC's data and its own proprietary insights, Fit Organic identified the Top 10 metropolitan areas where residents are most at risk of exposure to Zika.

More than 52 million Americans live in the metro areas named on the list, with 18.1 million people in Texas at risk.

The list of the Top 10 Zika Zones includes:

Dallas-Fort Worth
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
Austin
Los Angeles
Washington, DC
Houston
Orlando
Cincinnati
San Antonio
Phoenix

For more information about the Top 10 Zika Zones, see this infographic http://bit.ly/2996Z59

"Even though there have been no reported cases of mosquito-borne Zika infections in the U.S., residents in the Top 10 Zika Zones should be proactive in protecting themselves from mosquito bites and breeding," said Todd Wichmann, President & CEO of Fit Organic. "Demand for mosquito repellent is off the charts in central and south Texas," continued Wichmann. "Residents are clearly and rightly concerned about protecting themselves from mosquitos that might carry Zika."

The best way for people to protect themselves from contracting the Zika virus is to avoid being bit by mosquitos. People living in the areas on the list and anyone traveling to those locations should consider the following tips for avoiding mosquitos:

Wear mosquito repellent when outdoors. Prime mosquito feeding times are dawn and dusk.
Apply sunscreen before mosquito repellent to avoid decreased effectiveness of repellent.
Remove standing water from around your home including wet shower stalls to discourage mosquito breeding.
Some herbs are natural mosquito repellents. Use lavender inside your home and rosemary on the grill.
Wear white or light colored clothing outside. Mosquitos are drawn to darker colors.

About Fit Organic

Fit Organic, a subsidiary of HealthPro Brands, is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of USDA-certified organic consumer products. Its newly launched Fit Organic Mosquito Repellent Spray is unique in the United States, as it is the first certified organic repellent scientifically proven as effective as DEET for up to three hours, yet safe for pregnant women and children. The product is now available in the United States and will soon be available in Brazil, on the front lines of the Zika virus. For more information on Fit Organic and Fit Organic Mosquito Repellent Spray, visit fitorganic.com.

Media Contact:
Kyndra Marshall
Creaxion® for Fit Organic
[email protected]
404-495-4511

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160627/383962-INFO

SOURCE Fit Organic