Florida Zika Virus Cases Up To 20

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The number of confirmed Zika virus cases in Florida has climbed yet again. The total as of Friday is 20, up from Thursday’s 18.

The two new cases were reported in Broward and Alachua counties. Hillsborough County has three confirmed cases on record to date. All 20 cases are travel-related, State Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong noted in his daily virus update.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline. That number is 1-855-622-6735. The state has also declared a public health emergency in all counties where the virus has been confirmed in residents. Those counties are Hillsborough, Alachua, Broward, Lee, Miami-Dade, Osceola, Santa Rosa and St. Johns.

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Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. According to the state, only about one out of five people infected with Zika are symptomatic. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization.

It is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Several reports have linked Zika in mothers with microcephaly in infants. That condition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, is a potentially life-threatening birth defect where a baby’s head is smaller than expected.

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes.

While Florida’s cases to date have originated through foreign travel, the state urges residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

“We encourage Florida residents and visitors to protect themselves from all mosquito-borne illnesses by draining standing water; covering their skin with repellent and clothing; covering windows with screens; and other basic precautions included in ‘drain and cover,’” Brad Dalton, Florida Department of Health deputy press secretary, told Patch.

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