BREAKING: CDC Issues Travel Advisory For Miami As 10 New Zika Cases Announced

By Sammy Mack and Julio Ochoa // August 2, 2016

federal funding needed for prevention and control of zika transmission

ABOVE VIDEO: Dr. Manny Alvarez addresses growing concerns over climbing locally transmitted Zika cases in Florida.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott announced the number of Zika cases in one area of Miami likely spread by local mosquitoes had increased to 14 and asked for an immediate federal emergency response team to help the state combat the spread of the virus in the U.S.

HEALTH_ALERT__3_new_cases_of_Zika_in_Flo_0_31375920_ver1.0_640_480 — Gov. Scott has asked for an immediate federal emergency response team to help the state combat the spread of the Zika virus in the U.S.

As reported below on Health News Florida, the governor also said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would issue a travel warning to pregnant women or those thinking of becoming pregnant to avoid a square mile area in Miami-Dade County, where officials believe the active transmissions of Zika are occurring.

Deliberation over funding Zika prevention and management programs has been ongoing for several months in Congress. The spread of the virus in Miami should be a wake-up-call. It is time that the administration and lawmakers in D.C. put aside their bickering and come together to address this emerging critical public health issue.

–Dr. Jim Palermo, Editor-in-Chief

zika_map — The CDC has issued a travel warning to pregnant women or those thinking of becoming pregnant to avoid a square mile area in Miami-Dade County, where officials believe there is active transmission of Zika are occurring. (Florida Dept. of Health image)

HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA — Pregnant women are being asked to stay away from the Wynwood neighborhood in Miami.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Zika-related travel warning for pregnant women to an area just north of Downtown Miami after 10 more people were suspected of getting the virus locally.

Health officials have identified at least 14 apparently mosquito-borne Zika infections in a 1-square-mile area in and near Wynwood.

“The bottom line of this announcement is that we advise pregnant women to avoid travel to this area and pregnant women who live or work in this area and their partners to make every effort to avoid mosquito bites and to prevent sexual transmission of Zika,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, head of the CDC, in a press call on Monday afternoon.

Frieden also said any pregnant women who live in or have traveled to the area since June 15th should talk to their doctors about getting screened for the disease.

CLICK HERE for the complete story on HealthNewsFlorida.com>>>