Health officials are investigating a possible non-travel related case of Zika virus in Broward County, Florida, the Florida Department of Health said Thursday. While cases were linked to people who had traveled to other countries, state and federal officials have feared that the virus would start to be spread by mosquitoes in Florida and other parts the United States.
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To date, there are 334 cases of Zika virus in the state of Florida, including 46 pregnant women. The baby has been diagnosed as having microcephaly and other brain problems, and tests were positive for Zika virus infection, NYC Health said in a press release.
Florida health officials have urged people in the areas being investigated to provide blood and urine samples if requested.
However, sexual transmission of the virus from a person who has traveled has not been ruled out, Florida Department of Health Communications Director Mara Gambineri said. The investigation into the first possible case in Miami-Dade County is still ongoing.
Since yesterday, the state has received reports of 19 more travel-related Zika cases, 1 involving a pregnant woman. On August 1, CDC also will award another $10 million to quickly identify cases of microcephaly and other adverse birth outcomes linked to Zika and to refer affected infants and families to services. That help arrived today in the form of Marc Fischer, MD, MPH, a CDC medical epidemiologist, Florida Health said in its daily Zika update.
Researchers in Brazil announced Thursday the “presence of the Zika virus” in Culex mosquitoes (the common house mosquito) in the eastern city of Recife.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 12 babies have been born in the United States with Zika-related birth defects.
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A US study published this week in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found that a different type of Culex mosquito, Culex pipiens, was not capable of transmitting the Zika virus, leading researchers to conclude that transmission in the USA from these mosquitoes is unlikely. The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of worldwide concern in February.
