6 More Zika Cases Reported In Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Six more cases of the mosquito-borne disease Zika have been positively identified in Florida.

The state’s Department of Health announced Tuesday afternoon that it has reported the six new travel-related cases to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week. All of the cases are believed to have been contracted outside of the United States. The six new cases bring the total number of travel-related cases in Florida up to nine.

Florida has not been identified by the CDC as an area of local Zika risk, the state health department wrote in an email to media, but the disease is being closely monitored by officials. Travel alerts due to the virus have been issued by the CDC for such areas as the Caribbean, Central America, South America and Cape Verde.

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“Florida has many years of success in containing other mosquito-borne diseases and emerging health threats,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “Through these experiences, the department remains ready to protect residents and visitors from the Zika virus.”

The travel-related cases reported out of Florida to date involve residents from the following counties:

• Miami-Dade – 4
• Hillsborough – 2
• Lee – 2
• Santa Rosa – 1

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, the CDC says, 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. The first case of Zika virus transmitted in the United States was reported in Texas this week.

While Florida’s cases to date have originated through foreign travel, the state urges residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquitoes by draining standing water, covering skin with clothing and repellent and making sure windows are covered with screens.

To learn more about the Zika virus, visit the Florida Department of Health online.

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