Florida has detected its first cases of locally transmitted Zika, which could pose a threat to the state’s sensitive – and important – tourist industry.
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Findley said the Springfield-Greene County Health Department has been watching for cases of the Zika virus transmitted by mosquitos in Texas and Florida. Pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant should avoid travel to areas with Zika transmission. The virus can be spread through sex, in both women and men.
While the department looks into cases relating to local transmission, they still advise about traveling to impacted areas outside the United States-especially when pregnant.
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration told Florida blood donation centers they can not accept donations from Broward and Miami-Dade counties unless those donations have been screened for the Zika virus. Officials say doctors should ask pregnant women about their travel and certain symptoms, and, if warranted, test them for an infection with the Zika virus.
The Zika virus has been associated with a birth defect called microcephaly, which results in children being born with abnormally small heads and brain damage.
The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday there were no plans to recommend limiting travel to South Florida.
Florida Surgeon General Celeste Philip said officials don’t believe expect ongoing transmission of the virus, but they will monitor the situation.
To confirm whether Zika is being carried by mosquitoes locally, scientists are surveying houses and people within a 150-yard radius of the cases, the flying distance of the insect.
As of July 27, there are more than 6,400 confirmed cases of Zika virus in the US and its territories.
According to the CDC, Zika virus has the potential to be spread through a mosquito bite, through unprotected sexual contact, through blood transfusion and an infected pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy.
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More than 150 cases have been found in South Florida. And 90 percent of people who do get the virus show no symptoms. You should also use screens on windows and doors and fix holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outside. At this time, health officials believe the virus is contained to a small area, but they are going to keep investigating. It’s obviously an issue that many flyers have been anticipating.
