The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional three locally acquired Zika virus cases in Miami-Dade County, bringing the total to 25. At the same time, DOH cleared an additional four blocks in the Southwest corner of the impacted zone in Wynwood. DOH has concluded that no local transmissions of Zika are occurring in the newly cleared area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pursuant to their guidance, will continue to monitor the entire one square mile area in Miami, north of downtown. DOH still believes active transmissions are only taking place within the identified area that is less than one-square mile in Miami-Dade County.
Florida Governor Rick Scott said, “Although three additional individuals in Wynwood have been identified with the Zika virus today, we are confident that our mosquito education, prevention and control efforts are working and hopeful that the impacted area will continue to be reduced as the DOH investigation continues. Earlier this summer, I authorized more than $26 million in state funds to fight Zika and as of today, more than $18 million has been allocated to local and state entities for mosquito prevention and control. We will continue to work closely with local officials to ensure their needs are met and we are prepared to allocate more if needed.
“I still have outstanding requests that I put into the Obama Administration that I am waiting on and I am disappointed that Congress has not come back to work to deal with this national issue. The president and Congress must work together to get to a solution for all the families across our nation.”
Florida health officials also reported an additional 21 travel-associated Zika cases Thursday, including 17 in Broward County alone, putting the state total over 400.
In related news, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell said she has shifted $81 million more in existing funds to keep vaccine development going until the end of the fiscal year. She said $34 million is for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $47 million is for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
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