Governor Issues Announcement - Zika Virus Spreading In Florida

Governor Rick Scott, (R, Fla.), has announced that the number of people with the Zika virus in the state of Florida has risen from 4 to 14.

The Florida Department of Health maintains that the outbreak is confined to a small area of Miami-Dade county, a place known as the Wynwood arts district.

The district has a number of areas where water can collect and serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

When a woman is infected with Zika during pregnancy, the virus can cause numerous, serious birth defects.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “there is no vaccine or medicine for Zika.”

The CDC states that there are four common symptoms of the virus including fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

The center also notes that the infection can be spread through mosquito bites, from a pregnant woman to her child, from sex, and likely from blood transfusions.

There has also been level 2 alert issued for travel to Brazil, where there has been an outbreak of the virus.

Gov. Scott announced, “Following today’s announcement, I have requested that the CDC activate their emergency response team to assist DOH in their investigation, research, and sample collection efforts. Their team will consist of public health experts whose role is to augment our response efforts to confirmed local transmissions of the Zika virus.”

More than 200 individuals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have been tested for the virus. Authorities report these individuals live or work near those who likely picked up the disease from mosquitoes.

Two women and twelve men have been identified to likely have the virus.

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