In response to the news out of Miami, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday it was sending an eight-person team to assist local officials.
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State health officials believe the spread of the Zika virus is limited to a square kilometer area in Miami-Dade County, just north of downtown Miami. If Zika babies will continually be born, it will be hard for many to see heartbreaking situations of having microcephaly, small brains, enfeebled body, and weak immune system.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has asked for a CDC emergency team to help the state combat Zika, which has been sweeping Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition, the agency recommends that pregnant women and their partners living in the area should consistently follow steps to prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission of Zika.
So far, more than 2,300 people in Florida have been tested for the Zika virus, including more than 200 in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties who live or work near the transmission area.
There are growing concerns over Zika in a Miami neighborhood, where people have been contracting the virus. If they develop suspected Zika symptoms, they are urged to avoid sex or use condoms for six months after their return.
Residents can reduce the risk by eliminating standing water and using larvicide to kill young mosquitoes, officials said.
Some natural products, such as lemon eucalyptus oil, also are effective at repelling mosquitoes, but they may need to be reapplied at frequent intervals to provide the best protection against mosquito bites.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded the State of Alabama $400,000 to fight the growing issues caused by the Zika virus.
“It is critical to identify infants affected by Zika so we can support them and their families”, said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden.
He added that those anxious about coming to the state should keep the recent spread of Zika in perspective. England is the sixth-largest worldwide source, accounting for more than 325,000 visitors in 2015.
The warning became expedient after ten more people in Florida were infected bringing the total number to 14 infected persons. The only way out of this is via mosquito control and elimination, and then to get the general population to protect themselves.
He added that they knew a lot about West Nile Virus, another mosquito-transmitted disease, but they knew very little about Zika.
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Frieden said it’s possible mosquitoes are resistant to the insecticide being used, but it could take weeks for federal and state officials to figure that out. The yellow fever and Asian tiger mosquitoes are container breeding species, which lay their eggs in containers holding water and tree holes.
