Misquito Traps “Fly Off Shelves” With Zika Concerns

MIAMI (AP) — The German manufacturer of traps widely used to monitor mosquitoes that carry Zika says the "enormous demand" due to the virus outbreak caught the company off-guard.

Two Biogents board members said in emails Friday to The Associated Press that a shipment is coming to the U.S.

The company's only U.S. distributor has said a backlog affects 1,950 orders from governments and businesses in Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and a few other states.

Andreas Rose of Biogents says the traps "sold out quicker than expected." Martin Geier says the small company typically fills a few thousand orders annually, but started scaling up production in March.

The BG-Sentinel traps are used to monitor urban mosquitoes that carry Zika and dengue. Florida still hasn't received over half the traps ordered to improve surveillance statewide.