Florida Zika Virus Cases Climb to 499

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Sarasota County has officially joined numerous others across the state under a Declaration of Public Health Emergency since the first cases of Zika virus began to be confirmed earlier this year. The county’s first confirmed case was reported Friday, involving a person who contracted the infection while traveling.

In its daily Zika Virus Update report, the Florida Department of Health confirmed a total of 10 new travel-related cases statewide on Friday. Sarasota’s case was joined by four in Orange County, two in Miami-Dade County, and one each in Leon and Palm Beach counties. A new travel-related case involving a pregnant woman was also reported.

The state also confirmed three new non-travel related cases in Miami-Dade County. Two of the people were infected within an area that is less than one-square mile. That area has been the focus of intense investigation over the past few weeks after it was discovered local transmission of the virus was occurring. The third non-travel related case, however, was contracted in Miami-Dade County outside the area, the state report said.

The state’s tally of confirmed cases now stands at 499. That number includes:

• 413 travel-related cases
• 28 non-travel related cases, meaning infections were acquired from mosquitoes within Florida
• 58 travel-related infections involving pregnant women

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization.

The CDC has confirmed that the Zika virus is responsible for causing severe defects in unborn children, including microcephaly, which leaves babies with abnormally small heads and often with brains that do not develop properly.

In the Tampa Bay area, all confirmed cases remain travel related, which means the virus was contracted while patients were traveling outside of the state. As of Friday, the number of confirmed cases in Bay area counties stood at:

• Hernando County – 4
• Hillsborough County – 12
• Manatee County – 2
• Pasco County – 6
• Pinellas County – 7
• Polk County – 13
• Sarasota County – 1

The CDC recommends women who are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant postpone travel to areas where there is widespread Zika infection.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline at 1-855-622-6735. More information may also be found on the FDOH website.

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