Gov. Scott asks CDC to help stop statewide Zika virus spread

Published: Updated:
James Gathany / CDC / MGN

TAMPA, Fla. – With state officials only having the capacity to test 475 people for the Zika virus, Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday asked federal officials to provide at least 1,000 more Zika antibody tests.

“When people wanna go anywhere in the world, they wanna know they’re safe,” he said. “So what they know if they come to Florida is we’re gonna get ahead of this. We’re gonna make sure our residents are safe, our visitors are safe, we’re gonna do everything we can to take care of everyone in our state.”

Scott’s request comes as Lee is one of five counties under a statewide public health emergency. Three new Zika cases were confirmed on Thursday, including a new case in Broward County, bringing the total number of statewide cases to 12. Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Santa Rosa counties are also under the public health emergency.

The health emergency declaration led Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) to call for a national ‘Zika czar.’

“The last time we faced an international emergency such as this was in 2014 when the Ebola virus began spreading rapidly throughout West Africa,” Nelson wrote in a letter to President Barack Obama. “One of the things we learned in trying to prevent the spread of that virus is that a highly-coordinated national response is crucial; and the way to manage such an effort is to have a point person in place to oversee the federal government’s response.”

Recent storms have helped increase Lee County’s mosquito population while cooler weather, wind and rain have hindered full adult mosquito control, said T. Wayne Gale, executive director of the county’s mosquito control.

Gale described the mosquitoes in Lee County as ‘flood water,’ which hatch after a large rain or high tide.

“We call them domestic mosquitoes because they’re usually associated with people and their homes or places they live,” he said. “They don’t fly very far, they stay very close to where they hatch. So, they’re not in the ditches, they’re not in the swamps, they’re not in the salt marsh, they’re around your house.”

Health officials believe all of the cases are from people who contracted the disease while traveling in affected countries.

The Zika virus, which is linked to brain deformities in babies, is primarily spread through mosquito bites. Officials said there is a possibility it could also be sexually transmitted.

Scott, who also provided updates on the state’s Zika efforts on Thursday, said he has:

  • Asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a conference call within the next two weeks to help train Florida doctors, especially OB-GYN doctors and those who work with pregnant woman, about the virus.
  • Issued a travel alert for 29 countries in the Caribbean and South and Central America that are experiencing the virus.
  • Authorized the purchase of 4,000 more tests for those who already have the virus.
  • Stated that if necessary, funding would be increased for mosquito control.
  • Signed an executive order Wednesday night asking for mosquito sprays to pay special attention to residential areas.

“It’s just like in a hurricane,” Scott said. “What we always say to ourselves is we’re gonna prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

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