Health Officials Investigating Possible First Local Zika Transmissions

“Stripe on stripe” by coniferconifer is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Zika Virus has been on the minds of health officials for months, but until recently the main concern to average citizens regarding the virus was simply protecting themselves from transmission while traveling to infected countries, which include much of Central and South America, and many Caribbean islands. Florida health officials are now investigating two cases of Zika in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, which they believe may have been acquired locally, although they have not ruled out sexual transmission. If confirmed, this would be the first case of Zika transmitted by mosquito within the U.S. In January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted small local outbreaks may occur, specifically in the south of Florida and Texas because mosquitoes in those areas have also carried dengue and chikungunya in the past. So far, more than 1,400 people have tested positive for Zika in the U.S., with all cases having been related to travel to an infected area. To read more about local Zika transmissions, please see “Florida Investigating 2 Possible Local Zika Virus Infections.” To learn more about how to protect yourself from Zika, please visit cdc.gov. Follow NN/LM SCR on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Source: Network News - Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Tags: Public Health Source Type: news