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Gov. Scott Holds Roundtable On Zika Preps In Broward

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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Florida Gov. Rick Scott met with other local leaders to talk about the Zika virus.

With Florida at the forefront of the fight against the local spread of the virus, health experts and community leaders alike are joining in the conversation.

"We are sort of the front of Zika in the United States," Scott said.

The newest front: blood banks.

Blood donated in Miami-Dade and Broward will now be tested for the virus. It will start at One Blood and then move to others.

"We are working with One Blood, in particular, to begin screening in South Florida, in both counties," Florida Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philip said. "A goal of August 1st, but this week if possible."

Philip said the blood will be tested for the Zika virus after it's donated.

The governor and health officials discussed the new testing at a roundtable discussion in Fort Lauderdale.

Zika 101: Prevent Spread By Protecting Yourself

Tuesday afternoon's roundtable discussion in Fort Lauderdale is happening just a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  issued updated recommendations on how to prevent the spread of the virus which has been linked to birth defects in babies. Health experts say it can spread through sexual contact or infected mosquitoes.

And the additional testing comes as they look at a Broward and Miami-Dade case where two people may have contracted Zika locally instead of from travel.

"The individuals do not have travel history themselves and that is what prompted the investigation to look at other modes. That is the only mode, we're pretty certain, has been ruled out," Philip said.

Health officials will soon begin questioning those patients' friends and neighbors, trying to figure out how they got it.

"If you are approached by our help department staff, please participate in the questionnaire and to provide a urine sample so we can better understand if there are addition cases of Zika that we need to be aware of," Philip said.

Scott said he's pretty frustrated at the lack of help from the U.S. Congress, but in a rare moment, said he's encouraged by President Obama's assistance.

"It's positive that the president called me last week and gave me $5.6 million," he said. "That's a great start, but Congress went on recess right during when we have the highest risk of transmission of Zika. They did not provide any funding."

The best ways to ward off Zika carrying mosquitos is to "dump and cover."

Dump standing water around your house to stop the breeding and cover yourself with clothing and repellent to avoid bites.

Click here for more information on the Zika virus or here for more Zika-related stories.

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