Mr. Scott’s directive gives the Health Department additional power in coordinating a response to Zika and directs the state’s environmental unit to cooperate with the Agricultural Department in coming with a mosquito control plan.
Advertisement
As Brazil is this year’s Olympic Games host in Rio de Janeiro, fear of the virus dominated talks at a recent Olympic committee hearing, according to The New York Times.
Meanwhile, the CDC said it will issue guidance in the coming days on prevention of sexual transmission of the Zika virus, focusing on the male sexual partners of women who are or may be pregnant.
It did not release the woman’s name, saying she was one of seven confirmed cases in Spain. An investigation concluded the person caught the virus through sex with a person who had recently returned from Venezuela, where Zika infections have been growing.
Nearly all cases of the Zika virus thus far have been acquired via mosquito bites, although one case alleged to be sexually transmitted was reported in Texas.
Zika virus is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in the four counties where the Zika virus has been diagnosed.
“For better or for worse, we have a lot of experience with diseases coming from travelers”, Woods said.
Zika is linked to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads and potential developmental problems.
Ministry of Health has begun moves to position itself to contain any possible outbreak of the Zika virus in the country.
Langhi said he had been told that researchers investigating the transplant case had determined that the patient contracted Zika through the transfusion, and not through a bite by the Aedes mosquito that is the virus’ main vector.
“With 20 million people and over 100 million tourists, we need the CDC to immediately provide these kits to Florida so we can protect our families and of course all of our visitors”, Scott said at a news conference in Tampa. Adalja says it’s a preventive measure because Florida has seen cases of dengue fever and the chikungunya virus, which are spread similarly to the Zika virus.
The mosquito species that spread the Zika virus are present in the US, but in winter the mosquito activity is generally lower.
Common symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).
The United Nations agency, which is leading worldwide co-ordination in fighting the outbreak, said on Tuesday that the virus could spread to Africa and Asia, which have the world’s highest birth rates, as well as to southern Europe.
Advertisement
Health officials now say four more people in Dallas County possibly may have been infected with the Zika virus, in addition to the two cases confirmed this week.
