“There are many things we don’t know about Zika”, Mr Hartl said.
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Scott signed the order to cover Miami-Dade, Lee, Hillsborough and Santa Rosa counties.
The World Health Organization on Monday declared the cluster of birth defects linked to of Zika an worldwide public-health emergency. While public health experts said it’s very unlikely the Zika virus will establish itself in Los Angeles County, they want everyone to do what they can to reduce the mosquito population.
The zika virus is causing birth defects by the thousands in Brazil and pregnant women are being urged not to travel there.
People have been known to contract Zika after being bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito.
Health officials believe none of the cases originated in Florida.
Dallas County Health and Human Services has created a task force for dealing with the Zika virus, after officials confirmed it spread from one person to another through sex. “With the onset of spring and summer, the risk that Zika virus will spread increases”, she said.
There have been no reports of the virus is being transmitted from mosquitoes to people in the U.S., though officials are concerned that small outbreaks could happen as the weather warms. Zika fever is a mild illness. “There are only two cases so far, the second one in the United States that we have seen [was] sexual transmission”, Ali said.
It also directs the Florida Department of Health to determine further resources and information needed in the state from the CDC to combat the spread of the Zika virus. “Up to now, the diagnosed cases of Zika virus in Spain… don’t risk spreading the virus in our country as they are imported cases”, it said. Illness typically resolves within a week.
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Pregnant women are being advised to avoid travelling to affected countries and the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory for the areas.
