Florida has set aside $26 million in state funds to fight off Zika, with over $18 million of that money going to state and local entities for mosquito prevention and control.
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Pregnant mothers, and their unborn babies face the greatest threat from Zika, which can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, and may be associated with microcephaly.
While mosquitoes that can carry the virus have been found in 12 California counties, there is no evidence these mosquitoes are transmitting Zika in the state at this time.
On Wednesday, health officials in Texas reported that a 23rd individual had tested positive for Zika in Dallas County, bringing the total number of Zika cases in the state to almost 100. Only about 20% of people who are infected with Zika ever show symptoms, which most commonly include fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes.
More mosquito data might also help public health officials better understand aspects of another mosquito-borne disease, West Nile Virus.
Zika, which emerged previous year in South America, is particularly risky to pregnant women and can cause severe birth defects.
That’s on top of 10 blocks of the Wynwood neighborhood officials cleared last week, though cases totals have continued to climb since officials last month announced the first cases of Zika’s spread by mosquitoes in the continental U.S.
All county health departments are offering free Zika virus risk assessment and testing to any pregnant woman who wants to know her status.
“We believe active transmissions of Zika are still only occurring in an area in Miami that is less than 1 square mile”, Scott said in a statement.
Zika is spread primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito. “Our mentality should not be a matter of if we will face a locally transmitted case, but rather when”, said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.
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Pregnant women should not travel to Zika-affected locations. So there is nearly no doubt that Zika virus is responsible for their birth defects.
