zika
Local and state health officials say they are doing all they can to combat the spread of the Zika virus but it's now up to Florida citizens to help hinder its spread.

"We have to be protective of ourselves - drain and cover. Take measures that you will not get bit by mosquitos. Those are personal responsibilities that we are drilling in on our 2.7 million residents," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

On Monday, 10 more people had contracted the virus bringing the amount of locally acquired cases to 14 in Miami-Dade and Broward County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Gabriel Jean is one of the 14 local victims of Zika.

His daughter says he was recently notified he was infected with the virus.


"They make the test for my daughter and for me. And yesterday, the doctor called us and said the tests, I have the tests, and mine was good, my daughter's was good, but my father, he has the Zika," Jean's daughter, Rosemary LaBranch, explained.

Jean's daughter says her father felt like he had a cold but no fever, and he feels okay now.


Comment: Run for the hills! Cold symptoms with no fever and feeling okay now. How in the world did he ever survive such a life-threatening illness!


The FDA has approved human testing for a possible Zika vaccine.

Inovio is one of dozens of companies trying to come up with a vaccine. It's a DNA vaccine that's never been commercially distributed before. The company says it may be ready to go by 2017.


Comment: And now we come to the reason behind the hype. Always follow the money.


Miami-Dade's mosquito control agency and the state of Florida are on the frontlines of the fight - testing, trapping, spraying and then it's back to the individual citizen to combat the virus.

"No standing water. No standing water. No standing water. No standing water in your home. No standing water around your house," said Gov. Rick Scott on Monday.

"DOH has been testing individuals in three locations in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties for possible local transmissions through mosquito bites. Based on DOH's investigations, two locations have been ruled out for possible local transmissions of the Zika virus," said Scott in a statement. "DOH believes local transmissions are still only occurring in the same square mile area of Miami."

Among the 10 new individuals announced Monday, six are asymptomatic and were identified from the door-to-door community survey that DOH is conducting.


Comment: Over half of this measly sample has no symptoms whatsoever. What a deadly scourge!


Following the revelation, Gov. Scott called upon the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to activate an Emergency Response Team to assist the state's health department, and other partners, in their investigation, sample collection, and mosquito control efforts. About eight teams in total will be in South Florida.

"Their team will consist of public health experts whose role is to augment our response efforts to confirmed local transmissions of the Zika virus," said Scott.

Scott said women who live in or near the area where the cases have been detected should take extra precautions.

"While we continue to learn more about this virus each day, we know that it is most harmful to pregnant women and their babies. For women who live or work in the impacted area and are either pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, I urge you to contact your OB/GYN for guidance and to receive a Zika prevention kit," said Scott.