A Texas resident has contracted the Zika virus after visiting Miami, Florida, now known to be a USA hot spot for the Zika virus.
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Florida health officials have said repeatedly that they believe the only area in the state with ongoing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes is a zone of less than one-square-mile in the Wynwood area north of downtown Miami.
Last month, officials in Miami confirmed the first locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus.
Consumer Reports recently released new rankings of mosquito repellents that offer the best protection against Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, the type that carry the Zika virus. Additionally, there are 21 new travel-related cases in Florida, including 17 in Broward County, according to the Florida Department of Health. The TDSHS has tagged the case as “travel-related” and is now conducting an investigation regarding the incident.
The funds are being used to investigate illnesses, conduct mosquito surveillance and laboratory testing, support mosquito control and public health preparedness efforts and increase awareness of the Zika virus.
“It’s the flawless mix – local transmission in Florida, travel to Brazil, and we’re at the height of mosquito season in Texas”, John Hellerstedt, Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner said in a release earlier this month.
According to the Alabama Department of Health, the state as a whole has 25 identified cases of the virus. The mosquito transmits the Zika virus and is being studied at the institute.
The Florida Department of Health added Marion on Monday.
Mosquitoes can become infected with the disease by biting someone who is infected.
Stay and sleep in places with air conditioning or window and door screens. But because Zika causes no symptoms in most people, experts agree there are likely far more.
The virus is blamed for a surge in cases of babies born with the brain and skull defect known as microcephaly.
In adults, the virus is linked to a form of temporary paralysis called Guillain-Barré syndrome. There is no vaccine or medicine to treat Zika. The CDC also recommends that pregnant women avoid traveling to affected areas entirely.
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Howard blames the inability of Congress to provide proper funding for Zika research, furhtermore he says the solution will come from the public health arena.
