New Jersey Spends $500K To Battle Zika Statewide

New Jersey is providing increased resources to county mosquito commissions throughout the state to aggressively combat the threat of Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases.

The resources include:

• $500,000 in grants for mosquito control expenditures
• More than 20,000 mosquito dunks and traps
• More than 500,000 mosquito larvae-eating fish

"While the presence of the mosquito that carries the Zika virus is extremely rare in New Jersey, we are taking every precaution to protect our residents and visitors from this and other disease-carrying mosquitos," said Bob Martin, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

He said the Christie Administration is committed to "providing our county mosquito control partners with the best possible means to monitor and reduce mosquito populations throughout the state."

The DEP's Office of Mosquito Control Coordination and the State Mosquito Control Commission work closely with all 21 county mosquito commissions and agencies to reduce mosquito breeding habitats, he said.

He said the DEP also has raised and stocked more than 150,000 fish that eat mosquito larvae - with another 400,000 fish to be raised and stocked statewide over the course of the summer.

Aedes aegypti is the mosquito most known for carrying the Zika virus. It is found in tropical climates and is unable to survive New Jersey's winter conditions.

Cases of Zika, however, have risen sharply in New Jersey in recent weeks, according to data from the state Department of Health.

There are now 27 confirmed cases of the virus in New Jersey, nearly a 50 percent increase over the first few weeks of June, according to the data.

Read more: Zika Cases Rise Sharply In New Jersey, State Says

Zika is a viral infection that is usually spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also spreads dengue and chikungunya. Outbreaks typically occur in tropical Africa and southeast Asia.

The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes. The biggest concern is for pregnant women because Zika can cause birth defects.