niman Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Rick Scott news conferences announces cluster of five in Miami Beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Just now, niman said: Rick Scott news conferences announces cluster of five in Miami Beach. http://cbs12.com/news/local/scott-holds-zika-news-conference-from-miami Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 (edited) Beach to intercoastal 8th street to 28th street Edited August 19, 2016 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Included exports to El Paso Texas and New Taipai City Taiwan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 (edited) Local transmission of Zika virus confirmed in Miami Beach By Debra Goldschmidt, CNN Updated 12:39 PM ET, Fri August 19, 2016 There have been five locally transmitted cases of the Zika virus confirmed in an area of Miami Beach, Florida Governor Rick Scott said Friday. Three of those individuals were visitors to the area when they contracted the virus. This brings the total number of locally transmitted cases in Florida to 36. Scott said the area in Miami Beach is limited to 1.5 square miles. On July 31, Scott announced the first local transmission of the virus in the continental United States has occurred in an area north of downtown Miami. http://cbs12.com/news/local/scott-holds-zika-news-conference-from-miami Edited August 19, 2016 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Zika Infects 5 in Miami Beach, Governor Rick Scott Says by MAGGIE FOX SHARE Zika is now spreading in two places in Florida — in Miami Beach as well as an area north of Miami, Governor Rick Scott confirmed Friday. Five people have been infected by Zika locally in Miami Beach, Scott said at a news conference. Florida health officials had earlier denied reports that Zika was spreading locally in Miami Beach. The local spread — meaning none of those infected had traveled to Zika-affected regions — strongly suggests that mosquitoes in the area have become infected with the virus and are biting people and spreading it. The area of Miami Beach where Zika has been spreading. Florida governor's office "We believe we have a new area where local transmission is occurring in Miami Beach," Scott told a news conference. "Active transmission is happening between 8th and 28th streets, an area just under 1.5 (square) miles." Miami Beach is the heart of the city's tourist district and state officials have been keen to protect the No. 1 industry for the region. One visitor had been infected before, a Texas resident whocarried the virus back home. Zika's confirmed to have infected 36 people locally in Florida, state health officials say - most of the cases in an area north of Miami called Wynwood. Local cases were fully expected in Florida, which is home to the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that spread Zika and also hosts many travelers to and from Zika-affected regions in Latin America. Local outbreaks are caused when someone infected with Zika is bitten by a mosquito, which goes on to infect others. Only Aedes species of mosquitoes are known to spread Zika. To spread, Zika needs infected people. The virus circulates in blood, semen and can also be found in saliva and urine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant to stay away from areas where Zika is spreading. Most people are not at risk of serious disease from a Zika infection, but it can cause profound birth defects if a pregnant woman gets infected. This is a breaking news story. Refresh for updates. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/zika-virus-outbreak/zika-infects-5-miami-beach-governor-rick-scott-says-n634491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 GOV. SCOTT: DOH IDENTIFIES ADDITIONAL AREA OF LOCAL TRANSMISSION IN MIAMI BEACH; CLEARS ANOTHER PORTION OF WYNWOOD AREA On August 19, 2016, in News Releases, by Staff MIAMI, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has learned through one of their investigations that five individuals that have already been confirmed as cases of local transmissions of Zika are connected to the Miami Beach area. DOH believes that active transmission of this virus are only occurring in the area of Miami Beach between 8th and 28th streets (see map below). This is the second area that has been identified as a location where local transmission is occurring and is just under 1.5 square miles. After aggressive testing in the Wynwood area, today DOH is able to clear three additional blocks of the Northeastern area of Wynwood because there is no continued evidence of active transmission (see map below). This is in addition to the 14 blocks DOH has already been able to clear in Wynwood. The total number of local transmissions of Zika in Florida is 36. Governor Rick Scott said, “Today, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed a second location in Miami-Dade County where it is believed active Zika transmission is occurring. This location is a very small area that is less than 1.5 square miles in Miami Beach. While we are adding a second location, DOH is also able to continue reducing the zone in Wynwood. The ability to continue reducing that area where we believe local transmission is occurring shows that our efforts to aggressively spray for mosquitoes and educate the public are working. “Following today’s news, I am asking the CDC for an additional 5,000 Zika antibody test kits to ensure we can quickly test people for the virus and additional lab support personnel to help us expedite Zika testing. Also, to continue protecting pregnant women, I am renewing my call to the Obama Administration for an additional 10,000 Zika prevention kits. Additionally, we still need a detailed plan on how they would like us to work with FEMA now that this has become mosquito-borne in our state. “Just like when we learned of transmission in Wynwood, the county has already begun an aggressive mosquito eradication plan that includes additional spraying in Miami Beach. I also directed the Department of Health to contract with private mosquito control companies to assist the county in this effort. We will continue to work with the county’s mosquito control district and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to ensure we are utilizing all resources for mosquito abatement. The Department of Health will also be doing extensive and strategic testing to identify any other people who may have contracted the Zika virus. “Tourism is a driving force of our economy and this industry has the full support of our state in the fight against the Zika virus. Yesterday, I directed the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) to work closely with hotels, attractions and restaurants in Miami-Dade County to connect them with resources for Zika prevention and education. To assist in this effort, I have also directed DOH to work with DBPR to provide educational materials and offer mosquito spraying at no cost to these businesses. Our Department of Economic Opportunity has been working with businesses in Wynwood that may have been impacted to ensure they have everything they need to remain successful and they will immediately begin this process in the new identified area in Miami Beach. “In Florida, we know how to prepare. We prepare for storms every summer and we have prepared for Zika since our first travel-related case in February. We have already authorized over $26 million in state funds and we will continue to allocate whatever is needed. We are making every resource available to ensure Miami, and our entire state, remains safe for every family and visitor.” Following today’s news, Governor Scott is asking the CDC for the following: An additional 5,000 Zika anti body test kits. This will ensure the state can quickly test people for the virus; Additional lab support personnel to help the state expedite Zika testing; An additional 10,000 Zika prevention kits. These are essential for pregnant women. Governor Scott has repeatedly called on the federal government for these additional kits and to date, the state has not received additional resources for them; and A detailed plan from the Obama Administration on how they would like Florida to work with FEMA on how federal resources will be allocated to states now that this has become mosquito-borne in Florida. Governor Scott initially asked for this on June 1st and requested it by June 15th. The state still has not received it and Governor Scott has repeatedly called on the President for this. Any Miami-Dade County resident who would like to request mosquito control services for their residence or business should contact Miami-Dade Mosquito Control HERE. Click HERE to see a detailed timeline of actions taken by Governor Scott to combat the Zika virus in Florida. http://www.flgov.com/2016/08/19/gov-scott-doh-identifies-additional-area-of-local-transmission-in-miami-beach-clears-another-portion-of-wynwood-area/ MIAMI BEACH AREA WYNWOOD AREA (SHADING DENOTES CLEARED AREAS) ### Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Zika has officially spread to Miami Beach Lydia Ramsey 11m 3,887 1 FACEBOOK LINKEDIN TWITTER An Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the bug responsible for spreading Zika and other diseases.Thomson Reuters Zika has now spread beyond what was previously the only neighborhood with local transmission in the continental US, Florida Gov. Rick Scottconfirmed Friday. In addition to the Wynwood neighborhood in Miami, a 1.5 square-mile area of Miami Beach is also experiencing mosquito-transmitted Zika. The Miami Herald first reported the news of the local transmission Thursday citing sources familiar with Florida health officials' discussion. "Today, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed a second location in Miami-Dade County where it is believed active Zika transmission is occurring," Scott said in a statement. "This location is a very small area that is less than 1.5 square miles in Miami Beach. While we are adding a second location, [the Department of Health] is also able to continue reducing the zone in Wynwood." Here's the section of Miami Beach that has mosquito-transmitted Zika. Florida Gov. Rick Scott website However, the release noted that nine areas, eight in Miami-Dade county and one in Palm Beach county, are being investigated for local transmission. Miami is the first area reporting cases of mosquito-transmitted Zika in the continental US, though the outbreak has affected other US territories, including Puerto Rico. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel warning advising against pregnant women traveling to the area, and people living in the area should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. Miami Beach is a major center for tourism in south Florida, and Scott said in a statement that he's working with hotels, restaurants and other businesses to educate on Zika prevention. "We are making every resource available to ensure Miami, and our entire state, remains safe for every family and visitor." Zika, which is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes, has been spreading around the Americas over the past year. The cases in Miami are the first time local transmission by mosquitoes has been reported in the continental US. Only about 20% of people who are infected with Zika ever show symptoms, which most commonly include fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. http://www.businessinsider.com/zika-miami-beach-2016-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 AUGUST 19, 2016 9:55 AM Five Zika cases in Miami Beach, new transmission zone, governor confirms How to stay safe from Zika virus 0:40 FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL SHARE 00:00 00:00 FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL SHARE 1 of 2 What you should and shouldn't do to avoid the Zika virus. Justin Azpiazu [email protected] BY DANIEL CHANG [email protected] LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY There are five new local cases of Zika in Miami Beach and a new 1.5-square-mile transmission zone from the beach to the Intracoastal Waterway, Florida Gov. Rick Scott confirmed Friday during a Miami visit to talk about the virus. Interactive feature: Daily Florida Zika virus tracker The new cases involve three tourists and two local residents, Scott said during a news conference. The new zone runs from Eighth Street to 28th Street in Miami Beach, he said. Local officials learned of the local transmission on Thursday morning during calls with Florida Department of Health on Thursday to alert them. But as late as Thursday evening, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine denied that Zika was in his city, the heart of Miami-Dade's tourism industry. “There is no epidemic, no outbreak of Zika in Miami Beach,” he said, shortly after arriving from a trip to New York late Thursday. The health department said Thursday that the only place in Florida with active spread of the disease is a one-square-mile zone in Wynwood. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued just one domestic travel advisory on Zika, telling pregnant women to avoid Wynwood. But the discussions on Thursday morning between the county health department and Miami Beach officials, along with an email from City Manager Jimmy Morales, indicate that Zika is spreading in Miami Beach and already may have met CDC guidelines for confirmed transmission of the disease. Zika guide Questions about Zika? We’ve got you drained and covered How do you know if you have Zika and what happens if you aren’t pregnant? 15 ways to protect yourself against Zika Those guidelines define a local outbreak as two or more people infected who do not share a household, with travel and sexual transmission ruled out, and who acquired the disease within one square mile over a period of two weeks or more. The first word to local officials came from the state health department, which alerted them to the local Zika cases on Thursday morning. By noon, Morales had informed Miami Beach commissioners by email that two people had acquired the disease, though he did not identify whether the cases were within a one-mile diameter of each other. “I have been informed that two Zika cases have been linked to Miami Beach, one a tourist who visited the Beach approximately two weeks ago, and another a resident who also works on the Beach,” Morales said in the email sent to commissioners at 11:22 a.m. At 4:45 p.m., Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s office issued a press release announcing that, “Today, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that two additional individuals have acquired the Zika virus locally through mosquitoes in Miami-Dade County.” Scott’s announcement included a series of new measures to help restaurants, hotels and other tourism industry attractions with Zika prevention measures, including distribution of educational materials and spraying their businesses for mosquitoes at the state's expense. At 5 p.m., the Florida health department issued its daily Zika report, announcing that two new local Zika infections had been confirmed in Miami-Dade, both of them outside of Miami's Wynwood area. The report did not give a more specific location for the two cases, and the health department did not respond to questions about Zika spreading in Miami Beach. Florida has confirmed 35 cases of local transmission of Zika. Statewide, a total of 577 people in Florida have contracted the disease, mostly through travel abroad, according to the health department. At least 63 pregnant women in Florida have contracted the disease, which can cause severe birth defects. South Florida’s hospitality industry has dreaded the possibility of Zika spreading to Miami Beach because the region’s economy relies heavily on its $24 billion-a-year tourism industry. More than half of the hotel rooms in Miami-Dade are located in Miami Beach. This story will be updated. Miami Herald Staff Writers Joey Flechas and Amy Driscoll contributed to this report. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article96631027.html#storylink=cpy http://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article96631027.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Zika Spreads To Miami Beach As Florida Confirms Five New Cases Florida’s governor on Friday confirmed that five people have been infected with the Zika virus in one of the state’s main tourist hubs. posted on Aug. 19, 2016, at 1:04 p.m. Nidhi Subbaraman BuzzFeed Science Reporter Tweet Tumblr A Miami-Dade County mosquito control inspector sprays pesticide to kill mosquitos in the Wynwood neighborhood in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle / Getty Images Florida’s busy tourist hub of Miami Beach is the second neighborhood in the state to harbor mosquitoes infected with the Zika virus, officials confirmed Friday. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said five cases have been linked to an area on Miami Beach,confirming previous reports that the virus is being transmitted locally there. “We believe there are two places where we have local transmission,” Scott said. The five cases include a tourist from Taiwan, and another from El Paso County in Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that case earlier this week. Up until the Thursday, the Florida Department of Health had confined the zone of “active transmission” — in which you could encounter a Zika-infected mosquito — to a square mile of Miami-Dade Country, near a neighborhood known as Wynwood. Florida is the only state in the continental US where Zika-infected mosquitoes are known to be spreading the virus by biting people. As of Thursday, the Department of Health reported 35 such locally-transmitted cases in the state. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised pregnant women to avoid the Wynwood area. Throughout the state, 479 other people have picked up the virus after travel to countries in the Caribbean or Latin America in which mosquitoes are spreading the infection. Zika has its most devastating effect on pregnant women — arresting brain development in fetuses, who are born with shrunken heads. Most adults who contract the infection show mild symptoms, such as a fever or rash, or none at all. In some rare cases, a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre have been linked to Zika infection. https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhisubbaraman/zika-spreads-to-miami-beach-as-florida-confirms-five-new-cas?utm_term=.cfO4PEn8m#.unLAdJMLV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Map Update https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Press Release For Immediate Release Friday, August 19, 2016 Contact: CDC Media Relations (404) 639-3286 Additional area of active Zika transmission identified in Miami Beach Miami-Dade County residents and visitors advised to take steps to reduce risk of Zika transmission The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working with Florida health officials on investigating cases of locally transmitted Zika virus. An additional area of active Zika transmission has been identified in a section of Miami Beach, in addition to the area of active Zika transmission near Wynwood. The Florida Department of Health has also identified at least four other instances of apparently mosquito-borne Zika in Miami-Dade County, and has reported an increase in travel-related cases. Based on this new information, CDC and Florida health officials are now recommending the following: · Pregnant women should avoid travel to the designated area of Miami Beach, in addition to the designated area of Wynwood, both located in Miami-Dade County, because active local transmission of Zika has been confirmed. · Pregnant women and their partners living in or who must travel to the designated areas should be aware of active Zika virus transmission and follow steps to prevent mosquito bites. · Women and men who live in or who have traveled to the designated area of Miami Beach since July 14, 2016 should be aware of active Zika virus transmission; pregnant women should see their doctor or other healthcare provider about getting tested for Zika; and people who have a pregnant sex partner should consistently and correctly use condoms to prevent infection during sex or avoid having sex for the duration of the pregnancy. · Pregnant women and their sexual partners who are concerned about potential Zika virus exposure may also consider postponing nonessential travel to all parts of Miami-Dade County. · All pregnant women in the United States should be evaluated for possible Zika virus exposure during each prenatal care visit. Each evaluation should include an assessment of signs and symptoms of Zika virus disease (acute onset of fever, rash, arthralgia, conjunctivitis); their travel history; as well as their sexual partner's potential exposure to Zika virus and history of any illness consistent with Zika virus disease to determine whether Zika virus testing is indicated. · Women with Zika should wait at least 8 weeks after symptoms start before trying to get pregnant. · Men with Zika should wait at least 6 months after symptoms start before couples try to get pregnant. · Women and men without confirmed Zika who traveled to this area should wait at least 8 weeks before trying to get pregnant. · Women and men who live in or frequently travel to this area and who do not have signs or symptoms of Zika should talk to their healthcare provider to inform their decisions about timing of pregnancy. “We’re in the midst of mosquito season and expect more Zika infections in the days and months to come,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “It’s difficult but important that pregnant women make every effort to avoid mosquito bites and avoid going to areas where Zika is spreading. Florida and Miami-Dade County are taking appropriate steps to control mosquitoes and protect pregnant women. It is difficult to predict how long active transmission will continue. CDC disease control experts are doing everything they can to support state and local control programs to stop the spread of Zika. Every community in the United States that has the Aedes Aegypti mosquito present must monitor for infections and work to control the mosquitoes.” Detecting local spread of Zika is difficult for several reasons: · The incubation period for Zika infection is up to two weeks, · A high proportion of infected people have no symptoms, and · Diagnosis and investigation of cases takes several weeks. For this reason, it is possible that other neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County have active Zika transmission that is not yet apparent. CDC advises those living in or traveling to Miami-Dade County to enhance their efforts to prevent mosquito bites. Pregnant women and their sexual partners who are concerned about potential Zika virus exposure may also consider postponing nonessential travel to all parts of Miami-Dade County. CDC has been working with state, local, and territorial health officials to prepare for the possibility of locally transmitted Zika virus in the United States. Officials from Florida participated in all these activities, and their experience in responding to mosquito-borne diseases similar to Zika has been an important source of knowledge in this effort. To date, CDC has provided Florida more than $8 million in Zika-specific funding and about $27 million in emergency preparedness funding that can be used toward Zika response efforts. It is understandable that women will be especially concerned, and there are things that everyone can do based on what is currently known. While there are still many unanswered questions about Zika, CDC is working hard to find out more about these infections. Here is what is known: · Zika is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). · A pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth. · Zika virus infection is associated with birth defects and adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially microcephaly. · A person who is infected with Zika virus can pass it to sex partners. · Most people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. · No vaccines or treatments are currently available to treat or prevent Zika infections. As of August 17, 2016, 2,260 cases of Zika had been reported in the continental United States and Hawaii, including 529 in pregnant women. These cases also include 22 believed to be the result of sexual transmission and one that was the result of a laboratory exposure. For more information about Zika: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 CDC: Pregnant women should avoid part of Miami Beach affected by Zika Liz Szabo and Liz Freeman, USA TODAY NETWORK1:48 p.m. EDT August 19, 2016 526CONNECTTWEET 1LINKEDIN 1COMMENTEMAILMORE Pregnant women should now avoid the section of Miami Beach where Zika is spreading, in addition to a smaller area north of downtown Miami, theCenters for Disease Control and Preventionannounced Friday. Florida health officials, who have been grappling with a Zika outbreak in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, confirmed Friday that five people also have been infected in Miami Beach, which is across Biscayne Bay from the rest of the city. That brings the total number of infections spread by local mosquitoes to 36, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday. The Zika patients were infected within a 1.5 square mile area of Miami Beach, said Scott, whose state is the first to experience a Zika outbreak from native mosquitoes. The bulk of the USA's more than 2,200 Zika cases are related to travel. Mosquitoes could be spreading in other areas in Miami-Dade County that haven't yet been recognized, according to the CDC. Scott, who has requested additional help from the CDC to deal with the outbreak, said officials are taking aggressive mosquito-control measures. The affected area of Miami Beach stretches from the beach to the Intracoastal Waterway, from 8th Street to 28th Street, Scott said. This neighborhood is several miles away and on the other side of Biscayne Bay from Wynwood, the first Miami neighborhood to experience a Zika outbreak. The CDC took the unprecedented step earlier this month to warn pregnant women to avoid Wynwood, located north of downtown. USA TODAY What you need to know about Zika and pregnancy Pregnant women are at greater risk than others from Zika because the virus can cause devastating birth defects in their fetuses, including serious brain damage. "I ask every Floridian to take proper precautions," Scott said. "We all have to do our part to wear bug spray and dump standing water," where mosquitoes can breed, he said. "If you see standing water, no mater how small, dump it." The new Miami Beach cases include two people from Miami Beach, one from New York, one from Texas and one from Taiwan. Scott said Florida "will do everything we can to help pregnant women all across our state. We have a safe state and we are going to keep it that way." Scott has asked the CDC for an additional 5,000 Zika antibody test kits "to ensure we can quickly test people for the virus and additional lab support personnel to help us expedite Zika testing," he said. He has also asked the Obama Administration for an additional 10,000 Zika prevention kits. Scott said he's waiting for a "detailed plan" on how to work with FEMA. At least 529 pregnant women in the continental U.S. and Hawaii have been infected with Zika, according to the CDC. Seventeen American women have given birth to babies with Zika-related birth defects and six have lost pregnancies due to the disease, according to the CDC. More than 10,000 people have been diagnosed with Zika in Puerto Rico, including more than 1,000 pregnant women, according to the Puerto Rico health department. Liz Szabo reports for USA TODAY. Liz Freeman reports for the Naples (Fla.) Daily News. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/08/19/5-zika-cases-found-miami-beach/88993652/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted August 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Florida officials: Zika spread by mosquitoes in South Beach JENNIFER KAY Associated Press Updated 16 hrs ago 0Florida officials: Zika spread by mosquitoes in South Beach JENNIFER KAY Associated Press Updated 16 hrs ago 0 MIAMI — South Beach has been identified as second site of Zika transmission by mosquitoes on the U.S. mainland, Florida officials said Friday. But Gov. Rick Scott said the state does not plan to advise people to stay away from the beaches, nightclubs and pedestrian thoroughfares that form the heart of South Florida's travel industry. Five cases of Zika have been connected to Miami Beach, bringing the state's caseload to 36 infections not related to travel outside the U.S., Scott said. "We believe these cases were from mosquitoes," said Florida Department of Health spokeswoman Mara Gambineri in an email to The Associated Press. Two patients are Miami-Dade County residents, and three are tourists, including one man and two women, Scott said. The tourists are residents of New York, Texas and Taiwan. Pause Current Time0:00 / Duration Time0:00 Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 Fullscreen 00:00 Unmute "We believe we have a new area where local transmissions are occurring in Miami Beach," Scott said. He described the area on the narrow island city as just under 1.5 miles between 8th and 28th streets. Another infection zone was previously identified across a roughly 1-square-mile area encompassing Miami's Wynwood arts district. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised pregnant women to avoid the entire neighborhood. CDC officials did not immediately respond Friday to questions about whether their travel advisory, the agency's first for pregnant women within the continental U.S., would be expanded. Additional infections outside Wynwood and Miami Beach also are being investigated. Health officials have said one case of Zika does not determine whether an area is declared a site of active transmission. http://www.maysville-online.com/florida-officials-zika-spread-by-mosquitoes-in-south-beach/article_fccfbb12-d7b4-5122-b86c-274925574abb.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted September 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now