Share

CT officials monitoring Zika situation in Florida

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends “pregnant women postpone non-essential travel to areas with active Zika transmission until after pregnancy”.

Advertisement

Gov. Rick Scott confirmed this morning that Florida is likely the first state in the nation to have locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus. PHE has said while in many nations in South America, like the Olympics sponsor Brazil, it truly is high, the danger in the southern U.S. state is moderate. While most people who get Zika don’t even know they are sick, infection during pregnancy can cause severe brain-related birth defects, including disastrously small heads.

Although there have been over 1,600 cases of the virus confirmed by health officials in almost all 50 states, every patient save the four reports in Florida contracted the disease either travelling overseas or through sexual transmission. Florida health officials said that four patients in Florida infected with the Zika virus were infe.

A total of 53 people have been treated in the United Kingdom for the Zika virus, which is predominantly transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Places where the virus is now circulating include most of Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands, according to health department officials. “These results will help the department determine the number of people affected”. We will continue to put every resource available to fight in the spread of Zika in our state.

Dr. Tom Frieden, the CDC director, said the evidence suggests the mosquito-borne transmission occurred several weeks ago over several city blocks.

The mosquito is found in urban parts of the South, the AP reported.

“Florida is aggressively working to reduce mosquitoes in the area of the reported cases”, Frieden said.

The medical director of England’s public health agency said officials there weren’t surprised by the outbreak in Florida. So far, the state has not found any Aedes species mosquitoes that carry the virus.

Pregnant women who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other health care providers first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip.

Advertisement

Florida has announced more aggressive mosquito-control efforts, and politicians are keen to assure tourists the state is safe to visit. At home? At work? According to the CDC, the most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis (red eyes). However, Congress left on a seven-week vacation without giving President Barack Obama’s administration any of the $1.9 billion it sought to battle the virus. “Better to stay protected”, she said.

Officials encourage travelers not to shun Florida for Zika