Rockland County has launched an initiative to prevent a local outbreak of the Zika virus.

As part of the effort, the county Health Department is asking homeowners to eliminate areas of standing water where mosquitoes can breed.

Heath officials say their fight against Zika mirrors their battle against the West Nile virus, and they have 23 mosquito traps and 17 monitoring locations.

The symptoms of Zika are usually mild. Symptoms include a rash, fever, joint pain, or conjunctivitis and appear a few days after a bite by an infected mosquito. Health officials say the virus can remain active in men and women for up to 42 days and can be transmitted sexually. The virus has been linked to congenital skull and brain defects in newborns.

The Zika virus is carried by several mosquito species, including the Asian tiger mosquito, which is found in the lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island.