The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging pregnant women and their partners to stay away from Wynwood – the first time the CDC has ever warned against travel to an American neighborhood for fear of an infectious disease.
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The United States reported its first locally transmitted cases of Zika in Florida in July.
Scott has asked for more federal money to fight the outbreak and criticized the federal government for lack of funding.
Zika virus is primarily transmitted through a mosquito bite, and there is no indication that it can spread from person to person through casual contact. While most people who are infected only experience mild symptoms, the virus can cause the birth defect microcephaly, which results in babies born with undersized heads and underdeveloped brains. It allows Puerto Rico to apply for funding to hire and train unemployed workers to assist in mosquito control efforts, as well as outreach and education efforts.
In Williams County, a 32-year-old woman who recently returned from Jamaica was informed this week that her test was positive for the virus, said Rachel Aeschliman, director of nursing for the health department.
Most Zika infections have occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean.
US officials said they don’t expect to see a Zika epidemic in the United States similar to those in Latin America.
A Campbell County woman caught the Zika virus while traveling outside the country, and after her return started showing symptoms like fever, rash and joint paint.
U.S. health authorities on Friday declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico due to the outbreak of Zika, which has now infected more than 10,000 people.
A total of 1,035 pregnant women are among the 10,690 people who have been infected in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in the past seven months, the island’s health authorities said.
“The threat of Zika to future generations of Puerto Ricans is evident, and I feel a responsibility to do everything that is within my reach to make sure we fight the spread of the virus”, Garcia Padilla said in a statement.
The emergency was declared one day after the USA surgeon general visited Puerto Rico and said he expected 25% of Puerto Rico’s almost 3.5 million people would be infected with Zika by the end of the year.
The Republican legislation also would siphon off unused money under Obama’s signature 2010 healthcare law to combat Zika.
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On Thursday, the administration also shifted $81 million in funds to keep Zika vaccine research going.
