Florida Zika Cases Rise As Obama Asks For Funding

SARASOTA, FL – As the number of Zika virus cases rise across the country, President Barack Obama has asked Congress to deliver $1.8 billion in emergency funding to combat the illness.

The money would be used to bolster mosquito control programs across the country and to fund vaccine research, among other uses, according to the White House.

With the number of travel-related cases of Zika reported in Florida now up to 16, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Florida, has said he supports Obama’s move to address the problem.

“We need to get ahead of this emerging threat,” Buchanan said in a statement released Monday.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a public health emergency following confirmation of travel-related cases of the virus. The counties impacted are Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Broward, Lee, Osceola, St. Johns and Santa Rose. Hillsborough County had reported three cases as of late last week.

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.

See Also:

• First Zika Case Transmitted In U.S. Reported In Texas
• Zika Virus Information Floridians Need To Know

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes. The first case of Zika virus transmitted in the United States was reported in Texas last week.

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.

How soon Congress might take action on Obama’s request remains unclear. The CDC has confirmed 50 cases across the country, mostly stepping from travel-related incidents.

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