Florida DOH Tests Locals, Mosquitoes For Non-Travel Zika Virus
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Tests are being conducted and we will soon know whether someone in Miami-Dade has acquired the Zika virus locally.
It would be the first such case in the U.S.
According to the head of Mosquito Control Chalmers Vasquez, he was notified last Friday that there was a possibility someone in an unidentified part of the county was suspected of being the first non-travel case of Zika.
Chalmers says since then his team has been in the neighborhood gathering mosquito specimens for analysis and checking properties for standing water.
Related: Zika Case Raising New Questions About How Virus Spreads
"We have been knocking on doors and treating storm drains," he says.
"In Florida the numbers are alarming," says Nova Southeastern University professor Dr. Marie Florent Carre, who has been involved in prevention and education efforts regarding the Zika virus. "We ask the public to use repellant."
Related: CDC Says Zika Definitely Causes Severe Birth Defects
Symptoms of the Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain, pinkeye, muscle pain, and headaches.
In pregnant women, the Zika virus can cause serious birth defects.
Dozens of pregnant women in south Florida have tested positive and are being monitored.
The mosquito that can carry the Zika virus is common in South Florida and can be found in your backyard.
"The mosquito likes to breed in small deposits of water," says Vasquez.
That is why everyone is urged to check for standing water on their property.
Northwest Miami-Dade resident Angela Torres says she is concerned about the spread of Zika in South Florida.
She says she visited the Caribbean recently and didn't take chances.
"I took mosquito repellant so when I came back there were no problems," said Torres.
As of Wednesday, there were 327 cases of the Zika virus in Florida with 89 cases reported in Miami-Dade County and 50 in Broward County.
Health experts say we can all do our part in preventing the spread starting in our own homes. Click here for tips on how to prevent the spread of Zika or click here for more information on the Zika virus.
