Florida Close to Making the Call on Local Zika Transmission

July 28th, 2016

By Gary Evans, AHC Media Senior Staff Writer

The Florida Department of Health continues to investigate four possible non-travel related Zika virus cases, which if confirmed would represent the first mosquito-borne transmission in the United States.

The cases of Zika virus with no history of travel to an area where spread is occurring include two people in Miami-Dade County and two in Broward county. It also appears as if investigators are widening the net and trying to detect transmission to other people in the areas.

“Door-to-door outreach and sample collection are ongoing in all cases,” Florida health officials reported today. “The department will share more details as they become available. Residents and visitors are urged to participate in requests for urine samples by the department in the areas of investigation. These results will help the department determine the number of people affected.”

Zika prevention kits and repellent are being distributed in the areas of investigation, through local OBGYN offices and at both counties.

Statewide, Florida has confirmed 55 Zika infections in pregnant women and 328 in the general populace. Only the four aforementioned suspect cases of local vector-borne transmission are not explained by other risk factors, which include travel to a region of Zika transmission and sexual transmission.

For all the latest AHC Media Zika coverage, please visit reliasmedia.com/Zika.