WFTV Video: Second Case of Zika Virus Confirmed in Brevard, Department of Health Reports
By Space Coast Daily // March 17, 2016
ABOVE VIDEO: A second case of Zika virus was reported in Brevard County on Thursday. (WFTV Video)
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — The Florida Department of Health reported Thursday another case of the Zika virus has been confirmed in Brevard County.
It’s the second case of the mosquito-borne illness to be reported in Brevard this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case, according to a health department release. No further details were released.
Thursday’s incident increases the number of cases in Florida to 66. The virus has been linked to birth defects in pregnant women.
The disease is caused by a virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.
The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, according to the CDC. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections, the CDC says.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil, and on Feb 1, the World Health Organization declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern.
Local transmission has been reported in many other countries and territories. Zika virus likely will continue to spread to new areas, the CDC reports.
