Zika Virus Confirmed In Pinellas County

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Florida Department of Health confirmed two new travel-related Zika virus cases on Monday. One of those cases is a first for Pinellas County.

Pinellas County has officially been added to the state’s Declaration of Public Health Emergency order, which now includes 18 counties statewide. The other case confirmed on Monday involves an Orange County resident.

The state’s total tally of confirmed Zika virus cases has now reached 107. That number includes confirmed cases in seven pregnant women. To date, all Zika virus cases in the state are travel related, the department of health said.

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Pinellas isn’t the only Tampa Bay area county to have confirmed cases. Hillsborough and Polk both have had three and Pasco has had one.

Of the confirmed cases so far, only five patients are still exhibiting symptoms, the state reported Monday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that the virus is responsible for causing severe defects in unborn children, including microcephaly, which leaves babies with abnormally small heads and often with brains that do not develop properly.

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.

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes. One of the confirmed cases in Polk County originated through sexual contact, the state of Florida reported. The patient in the case contracted the virus while traveling outside of the country.

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

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 hotline has fielded more than 1,646 calls since it was launched Feb. 12, the state reported.

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