The announcement brought the total number of local infections to 21, though health officials said they still think the virus is being transmitted by mosquitoes in only one area of Miami.
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Kids returning to school in a Miami neighborhood linked to Zika infections will be allowed to wear trousers and long-sleeved shirts that don’t match their school uniforms, but still can’t bring mosquito repellent to campus.
“The federal government must stop playing politics and Congress needs to immediately come back to session to resolve this”, Florida governor Rick Scott said in a statement Tuesday announcing the new cases.
With the school-year starting, Scott has directed the health department, Florida Department of Education and Florida Board of Governors to partner and provide Zika prevention education to students, parents, educators and district leaders.
“We have been taking proactive steps for months to help mitigate the threat of Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses in the continental United States and overseas”, the spokesman said. Classes resume August 22.
The Health Department is also investigating a new nontravel case in Palm Beach County.
Back-to-school day is August 22 in Miami, and while students returning to class in Wynwood will be allowed to wear trousers and long-sleeved shirts that don’t match their school uniforms, they still can’t bring mosquito repellent to campus.
However, health officials are not expecting more outbreaks, specifically in southern USA states, which are prone to mosquito-borne diseases. The mother had travelled while pregnant to her native El Salvador and returned to Harris County in her second trimester.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests avoiding travel to affected areas like Florida. Zika can also be spread during sex, so Clay County health officials urge people concerned about contracting the virus to abstain from sex or use condoms.
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The Zika virus contains 10 proteins, but only two – called NS4A and NS4B – are linked to microcephaly, according to the researchers. Infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects.
