Some infectious disease experts say a less robust response could lead to a higher number of infections.
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Since the start of the Zika virus outbreak in Central and South America, the CDC has recommended pregnant women postpone travel to countries where local transmission has occurred, even in some instances where the number of cases was small.
“You only have a small window”. “What we have been doing is going out to the hotels and talking to the maintenance staff and educating them what to look for, because going out and mowing the grass and just keeping the place clean isn’t the same as looking for standing water”, said Terry Torrens, the county’s mosquito control director.
Florida mosquitoes have likely spread the Zika virus on the U.S. mainland for the first time, and Republican U.S. Sen.
Zika, which is particularly unsafe to pregnant women and can cause severe birth defects, emerged past year in South America.
“We have been working with state and local governments to prepare for the likelihood of local mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission in the continental United States and Hawaii”, said Lyle Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., incident manager for CDC’s Zika virus response.
Public Health England and The Foreign Office has today issued the warning, telling anyone with any concerns to seeks advice before making the journey.
Now there is no vaccine for Zika, however, research is underway. The disease produces mild symptoms for most, such as headache, feverishness and red eyes, and 80 per cent of healthy people who become infected suffer no symptoms. She did not reply to questions about why the state decided not to bring in a CDC team.
“This is the news we’ve been dreading”, said Edward McCabe, senior vice president and chief medical officer at the March of Dimes, who said his group is “deeply concerned” that Zika appears to be spreading among home-grown mosquitoes.
“If invited, we’ve got a team ready to go”, he said.
It’s possible there will be other cases of local transmission because people infected with the virus can potentially pass Zika onto a mosquito if they get bitten, which in turn can spread it to someone else. “While no mosquitoes have tested positive for the Zika virus, DOH is aggressively testing people in this area to ensure there are no other cases”.
The agency warns that Canadians travelling to regions where Zika is prevalent should protect themselves against mosquito bites by using insect repellant, wearing protective clothing and using mosquito nets, and to use condoms if engaging in sexual activity with people who may have been exposed.
Two of the cases suspected of local transmission were in Miami-Dade County, and two were in Broward County, Scott said.
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The White House said the cases should be a “wake-up call”. Rubio is a supporter of President Obama’s plan to spend $1.9 billion to fight Zika. He has allocated$26 million from the state’s budget. Florida officials said they are still looking into the cases and have not come to a conclusion.
