One person from Texas, one from NY and another from Taiwan have returned home after being infected while in Miami Beach.
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Another infection zone was previously identified across a roughly 1-square-mile area encompassing Miami’s Wynwood arts district.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned pregnant women to stay out of that part of town in Miami Beach and in the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood. “I’m anxious about how to communicate better so that people who should be anxious about Zika take the right measures to protect themselves, and that’s mainly pregnant women and their partners”. The low-flying planes that have been spraying specialized insecticide over Wynwood can not do so over Miami Beach, due to the presence of high rise buildings and the often windy conditions.
“Miami Beach does have a series of characteristics that make it particularly challenging”, Frieden said.
“Our language says we have cleared the area, but that does not pertain to the CDC travel advisory”, said Philip. “No, I love South Beach, you know, but you have to take precautions, like try to always spray”, she said.
Scott asked the CDC for additional Zika tests to screen residents, lab support and addition prevention kits.
Zika, frequently spread by mosquitoes, can cause life threatening birth defects.
“Forty-seven states in the US now have Zika”.
Health officials say the Aedes Aegypti is the only mosquito that carries the Zika virus, and is known to only bite during the day.
“It’s a tough mosquito to kill”, he said.
The city manager of Miami Beach has told local officials that two Zika cases are linked to the community.
The state has been accused of playing down the scare to avoid damaging the industry.
And on Thursday, Puerto Rican health officials reported that 30 people have been diagnosed with a rare paralyzing condition that can be caused by Zika infection.
Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement Friday that the transmission of Zika in Miami Beach was the most alarming development yet, and the threat to the country’s health and economy has never been greater. I want accurate information.
The virus has also been linked to a rare autoimmune disorder in adults that can result in paralysis or death. Statewide, a total of 577 people in Florida have contracted the disease, mostly through travel overseas, according to the health department. Still, officials said, the money being used to combat Zika “will be virtually exhausted by the end of the fiscal year” on September 30. Partners of pregnant women are advised to use a condom to guard against sexual transmission during pregnancy.
“This means we believe we have a new area where local transmissions are occurring in Miami Beach”, he said.
Reid renewed calls for lawmakers in the House and Senate to return to Washington to authorize funding to help public health officials fight the spread of Zika. “We need to remind people of the day-to-day risks”. There is no vaccine or medication that protects against Zika virus infection. With so many South Floridians traveling this summer, the fear is that someone could bring the virus back to Southwest Florida. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said that the American people can not afford to wait any longer for action.
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There are no local transmissions reported in California, but Friday’s warning comes as Zika cases continue to climb in the state among people who have traveled overseas.
