The governor of Florida has declared a state of emergency following an outbreak of the Zika virus.
CBS News reported that the state of emergency spans four counties across the state: Miami-Dade, Lee, Hillsborough, and Santa Rosa.
Health officials have confirmed and acknowledged 9 cases of the Zika virus in Florida. Each of the infected people has traveled to Latin America or the Caribbean recently, where the Zika virus is spreading.
Someone infected with the Zika virus will likely experience fever, rash, joint pain, red eyes, fatique, fever, chils, headache, skin rash, and/or vomiting.
The virus first gained international attention after an outbreak in Brazil left a large number of pregnant women infected and their unborn children developed birth defects as a result.
There is no vaccine or specific cure for the disease and it can be spread through mosquito bites and fluid exchange, including through sexual contact and blood transfusions.
Governor Rick Scott signed the emergency order and authorized the agriculture department of Florida to take necessary steps to combat further spreading of the virus. The order also states the Department of Health should make decisions about actions needed to be taken by the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
”Although Florida’s current nine Zika cases were travel-related, we have to ensure Florida is prepared and stays ahead of the spread of the Zika virus in our state,” Scott said in a statement. “We know that we must be prepared for the worst even as we hope for the best.”
According to the Miami-Herald, Florida is especially prone to mosquito-spread diseases. With 1,000 people moving to the state every single day, it is susceptible to diseases from across the Mexico border as well as other states.
It is believed that the Zika virus stays in an infected person’s bloodstream for about a week. During this timeframe, a mosquito can bite the person and then quickly spread the virus as it bites others.
Since the beginning of the global outbreak, 48 cases of the Zika virus have been around in the United States, one of which was sexually transmitted.
