Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson underscoring the threat facing the US after officials discovered the first locally transmitted cases in Florida this week.
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It’s thought to be the first travel warning in the continental United States due to an infectious disease outbreak, and its implications have Florida tourism officials on the verge of panic. The statement continued: “While mosquitoes that can carry the virus have been found in 12 California counties, there is no evidence these mosquitoes are transmitting Zika in the state at this time”. “The golf course isn’t going anywhere, but the Zika virus is on the move in the United States, first in Florida and now in IL”. Santa Barbara has not proved to have infected mosquitoes, and of its three contiguous counties, only Kern has tested positive for infected mosquitoes and reports two human cases in 2016. The virus is particularly risky for pregnant women because it can trigger microcephaly, which is a birth defect that causes a baby’s head to be smaller than expected and its brain to be underdeveloped.
The Zika virus is transmitted not only by mosquitoes, but through sexual contact. “The keys here are sitting with Congress, and they have to turn them to unleash more federal funding”, White House press secretary Eric Schultz said.
Critics say it’s overblown and polling shows a large percentage of Americans – 77 percent – aren’t that concerned about contracting Zika.
Sohan, said she was concerned by the number of persons who have given birth within recent months who may not have known that they may contracted Zika, and whether their babies may have contracted microcephaly. Further, the National Institutes of Health launched phase 1 trial for Zika vaccines. While Zika was first thought to be a major danger to the fetus of pregnant women causing microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome (weakness of the arms and legs and, in severe cases, affects muscles that control breathing), it appears that Zika can also cause eye problems and other issues. There is now no vaccine or treatment for Zika other than supportive care, rest, fluids and fever relief. Women who may be exposed to Zika need to have options for preventing pregnancy. Six people in Florida contracted the virus locally, with almost 5,500 confirmed cases in Puerto Rico.
A second Zika case is confirmed in our area. “So that’s a good reason for everybody to wear mosquito repellent during the summer”, Freeman said.
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For more information about Zika, visit the CDPH Zika website, which includes the following resources.
