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Zika Virus – September 2, 2016. Texas has had 157 reported cases of Zika virus disease. This count includes six pregnant women, two infants infected before birth, and one person who had sexual contact with a traveler. Texas Zika Cases by County: County Cases Bell 5 Bexar 9 Brazos 1 Collin 5 Dallas 33 Denton 4 El Paso 2 Ellis 1 Fort Bend 7 Frio 1 Gray 1 Galveston 3 Grayson 1 Gregg 1 Hamilton 1 Harris 45 Jefferson 2 Lubbock 1 Matagorda 1 Medina 1 Midland 1 Montgomery 1 Palo Pinto 1 Randall 1 Tarrant 18 Travis 3 Val Verde 1 Walker 1 Williamson 4 Wise 1 Total 157 Note: Zika case data for Texas will be updated each weekday no later than 11 a.m.

Novel Influenza A Viruses: No additional human infections with novel influenza A viruses were reported to CDC during week 34. To date, a total of 18 (Michigan [12] and Ohio [6]) human infections with H3N2v viruses have been identified during 2016, all reported during the month of August. One of the 18 persons were hospitalized as a result of H3N2v illness. No deaths have occurred. All variant virus infections have been associated with swine exposure in fair settings and no human-to-human transmission has been identified. Early identification and investigation of human infections with novel influenza A viruses are critical to ensure timely risk assessment and so that appropriate public health measures can be taken. Additional information on influenza in swine, variant influenza infection in humans, and strategies to interact safely with swine can be found athttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/swineflu/index.htm.

Following Confirmation of Zika in Mosquitoes, Gov. Scott Directs DOH to Aggressively Expand Zika Prevention Efforts On September 1, 2016, in News Releases, by Staff TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) confirmed that they have detected Zika in three mosquito samples in a small area of Miami Beach within the current zone of local transmission. (See map below for zone of active transmission in Miami Beach.) More than 42,400 mosquitoes have been tested across the state, and this is the only location where mosquitoes have tested positive in Florida. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) still believes ongoing active transmission is only occurring within the two small identified areas in Miami-Dade County- a less than 1.5 square mile area in Miami Beach and a half a mile area in Wynwood. Governor Scott said, “Today, we learned of the first mosquitoes that have tested positive for the Zika virus in our state. DACS has only found three mosquito samples out of the more than 42,400 individual mosquitoes that have been tested across the state. These mosquitoes were trapped in the small area in Miami Beach where we believe local transmission has been occurring. The CDC is performing an additional test to verify that this is Zika and to identify the strain of the virus. “Following this news, I have directed DOH to aggressively expand testing and outreach efforts in the areas around the traps that caught the positive mosquitoes. DOH has been on the ground since the first confirmed case of non-travel related Zika in Miami Beach, and they will continue to go door-to-door to educate residents on how to best protect their families and homes from mosquitoes. DBPR has also provided more than 700 hotels and restaurants in Miami Beach with educational materials on Zika prevention and preparedness as well as contact information to receive no cost mosquito spraying. While DOH has already been delivering helpful resources like bug spray and Zika prevention kits to pregnant women in the area, today I directed them to begin working with Florida international airports to voluntarily provide bug repellant for travelers returning from countries that are experiencing outbreaks of the Zika virus. “The CDC has recommended aerial spraying on Miami Beach via helicopter, and we have seen the effectiveness of aerial spraying in the Wynwood area. DOH has made available resources to Miami-Dade County to immediately conduct aerial spraying in Miami Beach. I also directed DOH to work with the commercial pest control companies they have already sent to the Miami Beach area to further increase spraying and abatement efforts. “While DACS will continue to work with local mosquito control to spray for mosquitoes, everyone must do their part by wearing bug repellent and dumping standing water- no matter how small. These efforts helped us clear almost the entire perimeter of the original zone in Wynwood where we now have 76 total blocks with no evidence of ongoing active transmission. We have also gone almost 30 days since the last case of Zika infection in the remaining Wynwood area, which is great news. The Wynwood community has done an incredible job of working together to prevent the spread of this virus and serves as an example of how important it is to be proactive and dump standing water, especially as our state is preparing for Hurricane Hermine. We must all continue to stay vigilant in the fight against the Zika virus so we can keep Florida’s communities, families and visitors safe.” Based on today’s announcement from DACS, the Governor has directed DOH to begin the following new activities to protect residents and visitors from Zika: DOH will begin working with Florida international airports to provide bug repellant for travelers returning from countries that are experiencing outbreaks of the Zika virus. Each airport will decide how to ensure bug repellent is made available for travelers. DOH will intensify ongoing outreach efforts in Miami Beach and will expand testing in the areas around the traps that caught the positive mosquitoes. DOH has already been leading a targeted door-to-door campaign to test individuals for the Zika virus on Miami Beach. Per the CDC’s recommendation, DOH has made available resources to Miami-Dade County to immediately conduct aerial spraying in Miami Beach when the weather is favorable. Aerial spraying via helicopter has been recommended by the CDC and has been effective in the Wynwood area. DOH will work with contracted commercial pest control companies already in the Miami Beach area to further increase spraying, especially liquid larvicide spraying, and other abatement efforts to assist with local mosquito control. STATE OF FLORIDA (Original Wynwood perimeter included for reference. Smaller shaded area in Wynwood remains under investigation.) MIAMI-DADE COUNTY (Original zone perimeter included for reference. Smaller shaded area in Wynwood remains under investigation.) ### http://www.flgov.com/2016/09/01/following-confirmation-of-zika-in-mosquitoes-gov-scott-directs-doh-to-aggressively-expand-zika-prevention-efforts/

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Maryland Confirmed Zika Virus Infections (As of August 31, 2016) Travel-Associated Locally Acquired Vector-Borne Total 85 0 85 http://phpa.dhmh.maryland.gov/Pages/Zika.aspx

Maryland Confirmed Zika Virus Infections (As of August 31, 2016) Travel-Associated Locally Acquired Vector-Borne Total 85 0 85

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As of Sept. 1, 2016 72 confirmed travel-related Zika cases in Georgia http://dph.georgia.gov/ See confirmed Zika Cases by County here. Zika Cases by County Confirmed travel-related Zika cases since January 2016 by Georgia counties. County Travel-Related Zika Cases* Barrow < 5 Bibb < 5 Bulloch < 5 Camden < 5 Carroll < 5 Chatham < 5 Cherokee < 5 Clarke < 5 Clayton < 5 Cobb <5 Columbia < 5 DeKalb 10-14 Douglas < 5 Forsyth < 5 Fulton 10-14 Gwinnett 10-14 Hart < 5 Henry < 5 Liberty < 5 Long < 5 Muscogee < 5 Richmond < 5 Rockdale < 5 Thomas < 5 Toombs < 5 Walker < 5 Walton < 5

As of Sept. 1, 2016 72 confirmed travel-related Zika cases in Georgia See confirmed Zika Cases by County here. Zika Cases by County Confirmed travel-related Zika cases since January 2016 by Georgia counties. County Travel-Related Zika Cases* Barrow < 5 Bibb < 5 Bulloch < 5 Camden < 5 Carroll < 5 Chatham < 5 Cherokee < 5 Clarke < 5 Clayton < 5 Cobb <5 Columbia < 5 DeKalb 10-14 Douglas < 5 Forsyth < 5 Fulton 10-14 Gwinnett 10-14 Hart < 5 Henry < 5 Liberty < 5 Long < 5 Muscogee < 5 Richmond < 5 Rockdale < 5 Thomas < 5 Toombs < 5 Walker < 5 Walton < 5

First mosquitoes carrying Zika detected in US AFP•September 2, 2016 View photos A mosquito control worker looks for larvae of the Zika-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito in Miami, Florida (AFP Photo/Rhona Wise) More Miami (AFP) - Tests have found the Zika virus in mosquitoes from Miami, the first detected on continental United States, confirming local transmission of the disease, the Florida authorities said. Three mosquitoes were taken from the tourist hotspot Miami Beach, where cases of locally transmitted Zika were previously reported. "This is disappointing but not surprising," Florida agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam said in a statement Thursday. "Florida is among the best (states) in the nation when it comes to mosquito surveillance and control, and this detection enables us to continue to effectively target our resources," he added. Health officials reported the first cases of locally transmitted Zika in Miami Beach in mid-August. The virus, which causes birth defects, was detected in a neighborhood north of downtown called Wynwood earlier in July. It has also been found in the Florida counties of Palm Beach, north of Miami, and Pinellas, near Tampa. Zika causes only mild symptoms for most people. But in pregnant women, it can cause microcephaly, a deformation in which babies are born with abnormally small brains and heads. The disease has also been linked to a potentially fatal disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can lead to nervous system problems such as weakness and paralysis. Zika is spread by mosquitoes and sexual contact. The authorities have issued an advisory for pregnant women warning of travel to designated active transmission zones in Florida. The state has so far identified 49 cases of people who contracted the virus locally, the Florida health department says. It reported another 656 cases brought in by people infected while traveling abroad, mainly areas of Latin America where the virus is spreading. Those numbers include a total of 80 pregnant women affected so far in Florida. https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-mosquitoes-carrying-zika-detected-us-104140117.html

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County Cases Bell 4 Bexar 9 Brazos 1 Collin 5 Dallas 32 Denton 4 El Paso 2 Ellis 1 Fort Bend 7 Frio 1 Galveston 3 Gray 1 Grayson 1 Gregg 1 Hamilton 1 Harris 40 Jefferson 2 Lubbock 1 Matagorda 1 Medina 1 Midland 1 Montgomery 1 Palo Pinto 1 Randall 1 Tarrant 17 Travis 3 Val Verde 1 Walker 1 Williamson 4 Wise 1 Total 149 Dallas Pregnant Registry 18 Texas Preg Reg excl Dallas 28 Total 195

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--- PRESS RELEASE --- For Immediate Release DCHHS Reports the 32nd Zika Virus Case in Dallas County DALLAS (Sept. 1, 2016) – Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) is reporting the 32nd case of Zika virus in Dallas County in 2016. This case was confirmed through testing in a private lab. DCHHS has submitted the case for review to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The 16 year-old resident of Irving was infected with the virus during recent travel to Puerto Rico. For medical confidentiality and While sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible, it is primarily transmitted to people by Aedes species mosquitoes. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week. DCHHS advises individuals with symptoms to see a healthcare provider if they visited an area where Zika virus is present or had sexual contact with a person who traveled to an area where Zika virus is present. There is no specific medication available to treat Zika virus and there is not a vaccine. The best ways to avoid Zika virus are to avoid mosquito bites and sexual contact with a person who has Zika virus. There are currently no reports of Zika virus being locally-transmitted by mosquitoes in Dallas County. However, imported cases make local spread by mosquitoes possible because the mosquitoes that can transmit the virus are found locally. DCHHS advises recent travelers with Zika virus symptoms as well as individuals diagnosed with the virus to protect themselves from further mosquito bites. # For additional information, contact: Renae Crutchfield, Public Information Officer II [email protected] 214.819.6329 (office) 214.394.8109 (cell) Zachary Thompson, Director 214.755.9299 (cell)

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) is reporting the 32nd case of Zika virus in Dallas County in 2016. This case was confirmed through testing in a private lab. DCHHS has submitted the case for review to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The 16 year-old resident of Irving was infected with the virus during recent travel to Puerto Rico.

Zika Virus – September 1, 2016. Texas has had 147 reported cases of Zika virus disease. This count includes six pregnant women, two infants infected before birth, and one person who had sexual contact with a traveler. Texas Zika Cases by County: County Cases Bell 4 Bexar 9 Brazos 1 Collin 5 Dallas 31 Denton 4 El Paso 2 Ellis 1 Fort Bend 7 Frio 1 Gray 1 Galveston 2 Grayson 1 Gregg 1 Hamilton 1 Harris 40 Jefferson 2 Lubbock 1 Matagorda 1 Medina 1 Midland 1 Montgomery 1 Palo Pinto 1 Randall 1 Tarrant 17 Travis 3 Val Verde 1 Walker 1 Williamson 4 Wise 1 Total 147

Mosquitoes in Miami Beach test positive for Zika Filed Under: Zika Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News | Sep 01, 2016 Share Tweet LinkedIn Email Print & PDF dead_mosquitoes-us_air_force.jpg US Air Force, Brian Ferguson / Flickr cc Florida agriculture officials today said Zika virus has been detected in three mosquito samples collected from a small area in Miami Beach, the first such finding in mosquitoes in the continental United States, as the state and newly affected Singapore report more locally acquired infections. Also today, the World Health Organization (WHO) said four Zika samples from recent cases in Guinea-Bissau are part of the African lineage, not the one spreading in the Americas, and Japan-based Takeda announced a US government contract to develop a Zika vaccine. Three positives of 2,470 tested The mosquitoes that tested positive were collected from an area of increased trapping and intensified mosquito control efforts as part of the investigation into local transmission, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) said today in a press release. The positive mosquito pools were in an area in the zone treated in response to local transmission. FDACS scientists did the initial testing, and the results were confirmed by labs at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Florida Gulf Coast University. Adam Putnam, Florida's agriculture commissioner, said in the statement, "This find is disappointing, but not surprising. Florida is among the best in the nation when it comes to mosquito surveillance and control, and this detection enables us to continue to effectively target our resources." Officials said tests on 95 mosquito samples submitted by Miami-Dade County after the positive samples were turned in for testing all yielded negative results and that mosquito control teams will continue their proactive and aggressive efforts to battle the mosquitoes. County mosquito control teams have targeted a 1/8-mile radius around the positive Miami Beach surveillance traps for eliminating mosquito breeding grounds by draining standing water and spraying as needed. The FDACS said since May it has tested more than 2,470 mosquito samples, which contained 40,000 mosquitoes. Experts have said it might be difficult to find positive mosquito samples, even in outbreak situations. Several months passed in Brazil's outbreak before officials isolated Zika in a mosquito sample there. Florida, Singapore report more local cases The Florida Department of Health (Florida Health) today reported two more locally acquired Zika infections, both in Miami-Dade County. One is linked to an active transmission area in Miami Beach. The other is linked to the Wynwood active transmission area north of downtown and involves a patient who was sick in July. Florida Health said it just received CDC results to rule out other mosquito-borne illnesses. The new cases lift Florida's local Zika case total to 49. Also today the state reported 7 more travel related cases, boosting that number to 576. In international developments, Singapore's health ministry reported 31 more local cases, including 3 that aren't part of already noted clusters. One of the newly identified Zika infections is in a pregnant woman, the second such case to be reported in as many days. Singapore's health ministry doesn't list a case total, but the new reports today presumably lift the number of cases to 146. In a related development, Malaysia today announced its first Zika case, involving a 58-year-old woman who had visited Singapore on Aug 19, according to Channel News Asia report that cited comments from health minister Dr Subramaniam Sathasivam, who spoke at a press conference. The woman's daughter, who lives in Singapore, is also infected with the Zika virus, according to the report. CDC: 199 more pregnant women infected The CDC said today in its weekly update on Zika case numbers that 199 more infections in pregnant women have been detected, 159 of them from the US territories. Overall, 624 pregnant women from US states have been infected and 971 pregnant women with Zika from the territories have been reported. No additional Zika-related pregnancy outcomes were reported for the states or territories. The numbers remained at 16 babies born with Zika-related birth defects in the states, along with 5 pregnancy losses. For the territories, the total remained at 1 baby born with birth defects and 1 Zika-linked pregnancy loss. Also, the CDC reported 199 more travel-linked Zika cases in US states, putting the overall total at 2,686. In the US territories, the number of local Zika cases soared by 5,091 cases to 14,059, most of them in Puerto Rico, which over the past several weeks has been experiencing a surge in infections. Guinea-Bissau lineage findings, Takeda vaccine contract Initial genetic sequencing of four Zika samples from Guinea-Bissau suggests that they belong to the African lineage, the WHO said today in its weekly Zika update. Health officials have raised concerns about whether the illnesses there represent an expansion of the America's outbreak into Africa. The WHO's Zika emergency committee met today by teleconference, and the WHO will release the outcome of the deliberations tomorrow in a media telebriefing. Takeda Pharmaceuticals, based in Japan, announced today that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has selected its vaccine unit to develop an inactivated, adjuvanted whole-virus Zika vaccine. The $19.8 million contract will cover development through phase 1 testing and could total $312 million if BARDA exercises an option to take the vaccine through phase 3 trials and licensing. See also: Sep 1 FDACS press release Sep 1 Florida Health daily Zika update Sep 1 Singapore health ministry statement Sep 1 Channel News Asia story Sep 1 CDC update from Zika pregnancy registries Sep 1 CDC update on Zika-affected pregnancies and births Sep 1 CDC state and territory Zika case counts http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2016/09/mosquitoes-miami-beach-test-positive-zika

SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 4:27 AM Singapore in battle mode against Zika after infections rise Singapore is encouraging residents to use insect repellent, clear blockages in drains and wear long-sleeved clothing to protect themselves from mosquitoes after the number of Zika infections rose to 151 in the city-state. 1 of 9 A pest control worker fumigates drains at a local housing estate where the latest case of Zika infections were reported from on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 in Singapore. Scientists trying to predict the future path of Zika say that 2.6 billion people living in parts of Asia and Africa could be at risk of infection, based on a new analysis of travel, climate and mosquito patterns in those regions. Wong Maye-E AP Photo BY ANNABELLE LIANGAssociated Press LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY SINGAPORE Singapore is encouraging residents to use insect repellent, clear blockages in drains and wear long-sleeved clothing to protect themselves from mosquitoes after the number of Zika infections rose to 151 in the city-state. Open-air food centers in affected districts had few lunchtime patrons Friday, many apparently fearful of contracting the mosquito-borne virus. "I understand the food court and all that business is affected but we shouldn't behave like that," said retiree David Lye, 67, one of the very few customers at the large Macpherson Market and Food Center. "We should be positive and do our part to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes," said Lye. He said he has not been using any mosquito repellant. Singapore announced its first Zika infection in May, with the virus imported by a 48-year-old man who had traveled to Brazil. On Thursday, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency confirmed 31 more locally transmitted cases, bringing the total to 151, including two pregnant women. The number includes visitors from Malaysia, and Indonesian and Chinese nationals residing in the city-state. The Zika virus has mild effects on most people, but can be fatal for unborn children. Infection during pregnancy is believed to result in babies with small heads - a condition called microcephaly - and other brain defects. "So far I have been going to work ... I have been going shopping. Everyone is still living their life per normal," said retail supervisor Shubez Chakraverty, who lives in an affected cluster. "After all, it's something we cannot control and it's a very minute ... animal that goes around so it's difficult to monitor." The Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement that the government's objective is to keep the incidence of the disease low by reducing the mosquito population and breaking the disease transmission chain. At one of the identified clusters in MacPherson neighborhood, official Zika leaflets were put up in common areas beneath public apartments. The flyers encouraged residents to take precautions, such as using insect repellent, clearing drains and wearing long sleeves. They should also visit a doctor if symptoms such as fever and rashes arise, according to the leaflets. Pest-control workers have been fumigating areas across the island nation of 5.5 million where Zika cases have been identified. In his first comments since the influx of Zika infections, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singaporeans should "take precautions and get tested if you show symptoms" in a Facebook post Thursday. "Our best defense is to eradicate mosquitoes and destroy breeding habitats, all over Singapore," Lee said. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/article99469887.html#storylink=cpy Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/article99469887.html#storylink=cpy http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article99309872.html

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 3:43 PM Zika testing hard to find if you’re not pregnant, patients say Lou Dickinson, 36, of Miami shows a rash that spread across her body and which she suspects was caused by Zika virus infection. Dickinson, who said she also had a fever, muscle pain and red eyes, had difficulty getting a Zika test. Lou Dickinson Handout BY DANIEL CHANG [email protected] LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY With mosquitoes spreading Zika in South Florida, health officials have been clear in their guidance on who needs to be tested for the virus. Pregnant women and those planning to conceive are top on the list. For everyone else, the testing advice is not so clear. “I’ve been bounced around,” said Shayni Rae Kinney, a retail consultant from Brooklyn who has been living and working on Miami Beach since Aug. 5. Kinney said it took nine days from the date she first broke out in a rash and mild fever on Aug.18 until she finally met with a Florida Department of Health epidemiologist who took blood and urine samples. Initially, Kinney says, she visited a walk-in retail clinic on Miami Beach, where a physician’s assistant advised her to take pain and allergy medication for her symptoms but Zika tests weren’t offered. Then she went to Borinquen Medical Center in Miami, where she waited five hours for a nurse to collect samples for a test that came up positive — but the results were not reported to the state health department. Instead, Kinney’s test results were sent to the New York state health department, because that’s where she lives. The Florida Department of Health didn’t find out about her case until she showed up at their doorstep in Miami six days after her first Zika test. “There is no structure, no authority,” Kinney said. “Nobody knows what’s going on. Nobody’s giving any instruction, nothing. I’m really furious. FLORIDA’S BUREAU OF PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES OPERATES THREE LABS SERVING THE STATE’S 67 COUNTIES. ALL ARE CAPABLE OF ZIKA TESTING. THE CENTRAL LAB IS IN JACKSONVILLE, WITH BRANCHES IN TAMPA AND MIAMI. A month after health officialsreported that mosquitoes are spreading Zika in a one-square-mile section of Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, followed by asecond area of active transmission in Miami Beach identified on Aug. 19, Florida residents and visitors are finding it difficult to get tested for the virus. A spike in demand for Zika diagnostics, Florida’s limited lab resources for processing tests, and everyday hurdles to healthcare access — from insurance coverage to transportation to apathetic clinicians — are keeping people who may have the disease from getting tested and reporting their infection to the state health department. Florida offers free Zika testing for all pregnant women, regardless of whether they have had symptoms, through the state health department. Health officials also are testing for Zika in limited areas as part of 13 investigations into local infections in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Pinellas counties. For everyone else, though, testing has become a source of frustration. At a community meeting this week in Miami Beach hosted by State Rep. David Richardson, residents repeatedly said they were unhappy about lack of access to Zika testing and the amount of time it takes to get results — even for pregnant women. Joseph Magazine, a South Beach resident who attended the meeting, said his pregnant wife broke out in a rash and other symptoms about four weeks ago. He said he took his wife to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Medical Center but has yet to find peace of mind. “We’ve been told results can take four to six weeks,” Magazine said, his voice trembling. “We should be out shopping for baby clothes, but we can't do so. ... If a pregnant woman with symptoms is taking six weeks to get results, how many other people are waiting for results?” NOBODY KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON. NOBODY’S GIVING ANY INSTRUCTION. Shayni Rae Kinney, Miami Beach visitor who tested positive for Zika State Surgeon General Celeste Philip, a panelist at the Miami Beach meeting, spoke with Magazine afterward. Later, she told the audience of about 100 people at the Waverly condominium in South Beach that Florida has three public labs — in Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville — and that all are capable of Zika testing. Philip said commercial labs offer testing, too, and that federal regulators are working to expedite diagnostics. She cited an example of the Food and Drug Administration giving emergency approval on Aug. 26 for the pharmaceutical company Roche to begin using a diagnostic blood test for people with Zika symptoms. After the meeting, Philip said she thinks the health department’s process for identifying and reporting Zika cases is working well. “I’ve not been hearing a lot of issues,” she said, “but we certainly want to know about them.” During Florida’s Zika outbreak, the health department so far has conducted Zika virus testing for more than 4,452 people, and the state currently has the capacity to test 5,755 people for active virus molecules in their urine and 6,852 people for Zika antibodies in their blood. Through its three public health labs, Florida’s health department can conduct about 150 active Zika molecular tests and 130 Zika antibody tests daily. “We are operating at full capacity,’’ said Mara Gambineri, a health department spokewoman. “We’re receiving approximately 225 samples per day.” 225Zika test samples received by Florida Department of Health each day Florida advises people who are not pregnant — but who live and work in an area of active Zika transmission — to visit their doctor or their county health department if they experience symptoms similar to Zika, which can cause fever, muscle pain, a rash and red eyes. Lou Dickinson had all those symptoms this week. The 36-year-old woman, who lives near the center of Wynwood’s Zika zone and also works inside the 1.5-square-mile area where mosquitoes are spreading the virus in Miami Beach, said she developed a small rash on her torso and began to feel muscle aches and a slight fever on Sunday morning. Symptoms worsened throughout the day, she said, and on Monday she awoke to find the rash had spread to the rest of her body. Dickinson said she called the health department for advice on Zika testing, and that the person she spoke with tried to talk her out of it. “She said it would just be a waste of my money and what would I do differently if I found out I was positive, that it just didn't make any sense for me to be tested,” Dickinson said. “It would just be a waste of my money.” Dickinson said she found it strange that the health department would advise her against getting tested. “Wouldn’t they want to know how many cases there are?” she asked. “They don’t want to know.” The next call Dickinson said she made was to her doctor in Miami Beach, who dispatched an electronic prescription to a commercial lab for a Zika test. But getting tested was not as simple as getting a prescription. “I called my health insurance to see if it was covered,” said Dickinson, who is insured by Florida Blue through her employer, “and apparently you have to have it be proven that it is medically necessary to get the test. Otherwise it would be about $500. If it was proven to be medically necessary, which I’m assuming means I was pregnant, it would be a $ 50 co-pay.” Florida Blue Spokesman Doug Bartel said he could not comment on an individual policy holder. But he said Florida Blue does cover Zika tests when one is ordered by a physician. “If ordered by a physician, Zika testing is covered at the same level as other diagnostic testing, and is subject to the same applicable deductible, co-insurance or co-payment outlined in the member’s plan,” Bartel said in a written statement. Dickinson disagreed: “It was never that simple.” She provided the Herald with a transcript of a message she received from her employer’s insurance benefits administrator stating that her physician would have to prove that a test was medically necessary and receive prior authorization. Dickinson said she cannot afford to pay $500 for a Zika test. She created a personal fund raising website this week to solicit donations, raising $275 in two days. On Wednesday, Dickinson said she visited her doctor and started the process to get her insurance company’s authorization for a Zika test. Then she went to a commercial lab in Miami and paid $200 for a test. Dickinson said she may have to pay the full $500 if Florida Blue rejects the claim. But her experience has left Dickinson thinking that health officials aren’t genuinely interested in tracking local infections. “I feel they’re actually trying to hide the number of cases,” she said, “because how many people who live in this neighborhood can afford a $500 test?” I FEEL THEY’RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO HIDE THE NUMBER OF CASES. Lou Dickinson, Wynwood resident with Zika symptoms Kinney, the Brooklyn resident who has been living and working in Miami Beach, said her health insurance covered the Zika test at Borinquen. She paid $35 to register at the clinic, another $30 for the office visit, and an $11 co-pay for the Zika test. Uber rides to clinics resulted in a total out of pocket cost of about $215, she estimated. Diego Shmuels, director of quality and clinical practice practice management for Borinquen, said the clinic sent Kinney’s samples to a commercial lab to be tested, but the lab reported the positive results to New York’s health department and not Florida’s. “They reported it to where the patient said she lived,” Shmuels said. He said the lab also reports results to Borinquen, but that it had not been relaying Zika test results as urgent — something Shmuels said has since been addressed. Kinney said she is glad to have finally reached an epidemiologist with the state health department, but she’s disappointed by how many steps it took to reach the right person. “Unless I really kind of made a stink, I wouldn’t have gotten to her,” she said. “I would think you would want people to get tested so you can give them directives on what to do, and things that can happen. Can you get it twice? What happens if I’m eating somewhere and I get bit, and that mosquito bites somebody else? “If I can give it to someone else, you should advise me to not be outside,” she added. “I was thinking of going to Mexico next month. Should I be concerned? How long is it in my system? These are the kinds of things that need to be communicated better. People need to be informed.” Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article99309872.html#storylink=cpy http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article99309872.html

Florida finds Zika in local mosquitoes, bromeliads blamed By CURT ANDERSON and KELLI KENNEDY - 9/1/16 5:08 PM Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter MIAMI — Florida has found the Zika virus in three groups of mosquitoes trapped in Miami Beach — the first time this has happened in the continental U.S. — and authorities are blaming a particular flower for making mosquito control much more difficult. One of the traps that tested positive was at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, where bromeliads bloom. The plants trap standing water in their cylindrical centers, providing excellent breeding areas for mosquitoes amid their colorful flowers and pointy leaves. “Everyone should know by now that bromeliads are really problematic for us. These are probably the number one breeding area for mosquitoes,” said the mayor. He said Miami Beach is removing all bromeliads from its landscaping, and urged residents across the county to either pull them out or rinse them after every rain. And with Hurricane Hermine bringing much more rain to Florida, Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday ordered the county to immediately conduct aerial spraying by helicopter as recommended by the CDC. The Zika-carrying mosquitoes were trapped in a touristy 1.5-square-mile area of South Beach identified as a zone of active transmission of the virus, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a news release. “This is the first time we have found a Zika virus positive mosquito pool in the continental United States,” confirmed Erin Sykes, a CDC spokeswoman. Finding the virus in mosquitoes has been likened by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to finding a needle in a haystack, but the testing helps mosquito controllers target their efforts, and it confirms that the insects themselves, in addition to infected humans, have begun transmitting the virus inside the mainland United States. The illness spreads from people to mosquitoes to people again through bites, but the insects do not spread the disease among their own population, and their lifespan is just a few weeks. A poll released Thursday suggests nearly 48 percent of Americans are wary of traveling to U.S. destinations where people have been infected with Zika through mosquito bites. The Kaiser Family Foundation survey also found 61 percent felt uneasy about traveling to Zika zones outside the U.S. mainland, including Puerto Rico. Most of the Zika infections from Florida mosquitoes have been in the Miami area, not the tourist mecca of Orlando and its Walt Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld theme parks. But Miami is a major tourism draw, with more than 15.5 million people making overnight visits to the city and its nearby beaches last year. Florida in general has a lot to lose as Zika spreads: The state set a new record for tourism with more than 105 million people from out of state and other countries visiting in 2015. Officials said they are not considering asking restaurants and bars in the area to temporarily close outdoor dining areas, but they will increase spraying, trapping and testing. “This is a very, very difficult mosquito to control,” said Gimenez. “The CDC director once told me this is the cockroach of mosquitoes, that it will find a way somehow to breed.” Since July, authorities have linked a couple dozen cases to transmission in small areas of Miami’s Wynwood district and the popular South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach. Other isolated cases not linked to travel outside the U.S. also have been confirmed elsewhere in Miami-Dade county, as well as in neighboring counties and in the Tampa Bay area, totaling 47 for the state. A third of people surveyed in the poll believe Congress should make approving more funds to combat Zika a top priority. President Barack Obama proposed $1.9 billion in emergency funding for Zika in February, but Congress has been unable to agree on a final bill. The poll of 1,211 adults conducted Aug. 18-24 has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Scott, a Republican, has repeatedly called on Congress to send the president a Zika funding bill, saying “we still need the federal government to show up.” In Washington, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell expressed frustration that Congress hasn’t acted. She’s been forced to take from other health priorities to fund the fight against Zika, and said that stopgap funding will run out at the month’s end. “The money that’s running out is the tide-over money we have taken from other (priorities),” Burwell told reporters. “What we need is a bipartisan agreement.” That is how previous Congresses handled earlier public health emergencies such as bird flu and Ebola. Burwell said any Zika bill has to make special provision for Puerto Rico, which has been most severely affected. Local officials said 95 more mosquito samples — each one containing several dozen bugs — have tested negative since the three traps were found. “Yes, we will be asking the federal and state government for additional funds as we move on in the fight against Zika, but it doesn’t mean we will be stopping any of our efforts,” while we wait to be reimbursed, said Gimenez. Kennedy reported from Fort Lauderdale and Mike Stobbe from New York. http://www.therepublic.com/2016/09/01/us-zika-florida-4/

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 Sources: Miami Beach Police officer infected with Zika virus MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - According to 7News sources, a Miami Beach Police officer is among those infected with Zika. The City of Miami Beach or police department have not commented on this case. The identity or condition of the officer is unclear at this time. Thursday morning, Authorities said they have found the Zika virus in three groups of trapped mosquitoes in Miami Beach, the first time this has happened in the continental US. “The Zika-carrying mosquitoes were trapped in a touristy 1.5-square-mile area of Miami Beach that had been identified as an active zone of active transmission of the virus, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a news release. This find is disappointing, but not surprising,” Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam said. “Florida is among the best in the nation when it comes to mosquito surveillance and control, and this detection enables us to continue to effectively target our resources.” So far, a total of 47 locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus have been discovered in Florida, according to the CDC. Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced the latest Zika zone, a 1.5 square mile area in Miami Beach, on Aug. 19. The first U.S. hot zone for locally transmitted cases of Zika was identified in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, in late July. The mosquito-borne illness is especially dangerous for pregnant women and has been linked to serious birth defects. The CDC has issued a travel advisory for pregnant women to avoid the Zika hot Zones in Miami-Dade County. If a mosquito carrying Zika does bite, it can take up to two weeks to cause symptoms like: fever headache skin rash joint pain conjunctivitis, which causes red, irritated eyes The State Surgeon General has activated a 24-hour Zika hotline in Florida to answer questions and concerns. That number is 855-622-6735. Pregnant women can receive a free test at the Health District Center, located at 1350 NW 14th St in Miami. For more information, call (305)-324-2400. http://wsvn.com/news/local/sources-miami-beach-police-officer-infected-with-zika-virus/

Zika found in mosquitoes in Miami Beach By Debra Goldschmidt, CNN Updated 4:15 PM ET, Thu September 1, 2016 (CNN)Mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have been identified in Miami Beach, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Thursday. It's the first finding of Zika-carrying mosquitoes in the continental United States. The three mosquito samples that tested positive were from the area in Miami Beach that waspreviously identified as an area of local transmission. Ninety-five other samples tested negative, according to the department. "This is disappointing but not surprising," said Adam Putnam, the Florida commissioner of agriculture. Mosquito-control measures and mosquito trapping are already in place in the area. "We already knew because of human cases [that] Zika transmission was occurring; positive pools are just further indication that transmission is still occurring in the area," CDC spokeswoman Candice Hoffmann said. Developing story - more to come http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/01/health/florida-zika-mosquitoes/

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As of Thursday, *September 1, 2016, VDH has reported 75 cases of Zika virus disease in Virginia residents to the CDC ( 7 in Northwest Region, 39 in Northern Region, 8 in Eastern Region, 12 in Central Region and 9 in Southwest Region). All Virginia cases are associated with travel to a Zika-affected area. CDC has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/zika/zika-virus-update/

As of Thursday, *September 1, 2016, VDH has reported 75 cases of Zika virus disease in Virginia residents to the CDC ( 7 in Northwest Region, 39 in Northern Region, 8 in Eastern Region, 12 in Central Region and 9 in Southwest Region). All Virginia cases are associated with travel to a Zika-affected area. CDC has issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.