At a dramatic press group discussion hold earlier today , Governor Rick Scott state Florida is the first state in the US to see topically transmitted Zika virus . The evidence is circumstantial at good , but officials are n’t taking any chances .
Over the past workweek , four unexplained Zika cases have emerged in Florida ’s Miami - Dade and Broward counties ( which are adjacent to each other ) , remind hypothesis that local mosquito are now spreading the dreaded disease . Governor Scott take that no mosquito in Florida have test positive for the virus , but the signs are all pointing to this grim conclusion . “ Florida has become the first DoS in our land to have a local transmission of the Zika virus , ” he suppose .
official have narrowed down the sphere of likely transmittance to a single hearty mile just northward of downtown Miami . The exact location has been identified to within Northwest 5th Avenue to the west , US 1 to the east , Northwest / Northeast 38th Street to the N and Northwest / Northeast 20th Street to the Dixieland . The mosquito that spreads Zika , Aedes aegypti , flies only a few hundred railyard over its total life .
“ While no mosquito have tested positive for the Zika computer virus , [ Florida ’s Department of Health ] is aggressively testing masses in this surface area to ensure there are no other cases , ” Scott said . “ If you exist in this area and want to be tested , I urge you to meet the county health section which stand ready to assist you . ”
Yesterday , the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there ’s sufficient evidence to assume that mosquitoes are now spreading the disease in Florida . It says the four Florida case fit similar disease transmission patterns for other mosquito - borne diseases , including chikunguna , which has been wee-wee the rounds in Florida in late years .
Accordingly , the CDC has urge that lineage centre in the two Florida counties stop taking donations , and intimate that blood centers in adjacent counties do the same . Florida ’s master provider of stock , OneBlood , will commence try out all collection for Zika using an investigational presenter covering test . The state will provide OneBlood with $ 620,000 to make it happen .
Among the other measures assume , a Mosquito Declaration will be issued , warrant that counties will have the resources needed to battle further local transmission . Miami - Dade and Broward county will get $ 1.28 million in province funds . In addition , health proletarian will be recruited to distribute Zika bar kits to pregnant women living in these regions . Other measures include a room access - to - doorway effort to hand out mosquito repellant and to educate the public on the risks .
For most citizenry , Zika produces relatively modest symptom , like fever and rash , but for pregnant woman — especially those in the first and second trimesters — it can result in serious birth defects , include abnormally humble head .
[ CNBC , Click Orlando , Miami Herald ]
BiologyEPIDEMICSMosquitoesScienceZikaZika Virus
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