Local Zika Cases In Palm Beach County Florida Increase To Two

[niman]

As expected,local Zika cases outside of Wynwood and Miami Beach continue to grow because Zika infected mosquitoes are widespread in Florida, and the number of clusters is being managed by limiting testing,

The morning a local case in Palm Beach was announced by Governor Rick Scott

Edited August 24, 2016 by niman

[niman]

12:45 p.m. update: Gov. Rick Scott’s announcement Wednesday of a second locally acquired case of Zika virus in Palm Beach County was not accompanied by a general location of the infected patient’s residence.

State health officials have said they will notify residents of local transmission clusters when conditions meet the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of an outbreak: two or more people infected by Zika who do not share a household, did not contract the virus through travel or sexual transmission, and who acquired the disease within 1-square mile over a period of two weeks or more.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/reports-second-non-travel-related-zika-case-in-pal/nsLJn/

[niman]

Second non-travel related Zika case confirmed in Palm Beach County

 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016 | Filed in: News

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12:45 p.m. update: Gov. Rick Scott’s announcement Wednesday of a second locally acquired case of Zika virus in Palm Beach County was not accompanied by a general location of the infected patient’s residence.

State health officials have said they will notify residents of local transmission clusters when conditions meet the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of an outbreak: two or more people infected by Zika who do not share a household, did not contract the virus through travel or sexual transmission, and who acquired the disease within 1-square mile over a period of two weeks or more.

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Those conditions were met when thestate revealed two areas — the Wynwood neighborhood and the South Beach section of Miami Beach — in Miami-Dade County with multiple cases of Zika infections via local mosquitoes.

It’s unknown how closely the two Palm Beach County residents with homegrown Zika live to each other. The first county resident to acquire the mosquito-borne virus was announced Aug. 8. State health officials have said the person likely was infected while traveling to Wynwood, a trendy arts district just north of downtown Miami.

Florida now has at least 43 cases of locally acquired Zika, most of those in Miami-Dade County. Nearly 600 state resident have contracted the virus while traveling to countries where Zika infections are widespread or after having sex with someone who became infected while traveling.

Zika has been tied to the birth defect microcephaly, which leads to smaller-than-usual heads and brains in infants. It is widespread through the Caribbean and South America.

Original story: Florida Gov. Rick Scott confirmed that there’s a new case of non-travel related Zika virus in Palm Beach County today.

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The governor’s office confirmed the existence of the second case this morning. Scott initially announced the case this morning at a Zika roundtable in Hillsborough County, according to several Tampa-area news sources.

Palm Beach County’s first case of non-travel related Zika was believed to be related to the outbreak in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, which is where the first non-travel related cases began to show up in Florida on June 15.

Check back for more on this breaking news story.

[niman]

FWC investigates sea turtle Snapchat

 

 

(Photo: Florida Today)

CONNECT TWEET PINTEREST

For the second time in as many days, Governor Rick Scott and the state surgeon general made their way to the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday for a roundtable discussion to brief and hear from community leaders and health officials on the newest information regarding the Zika virus.

Unlike Scott's visit to Pinellas County on Tuesday, Scott did not report any new cases of Zika in Tampa Bay. However, he did report one new, non-travel related case of the virus in Palm Beach County, bringing the total number of those cases in the state to 43.

Scott and state Surgeon General Dr. Celeste Philips also addressed concerns from the public about the case in Pinellas, and why a more specific location was not disclosed.

"Often times, the transmission may occur away from the residence of that individual, so having that information presented without understanding [a] better timeline where we believe exposure occurred is not helpful from a public health perspective," said Dr. Celeste Philips, state surgeon general.

Governor Scott added that if they find that the case is the result of local transmission, they will follow a similar protocol to what has been done in the Miami Beach and Wynwood areas of South Florida. "We will let everybody know quickly as soon as we know and we'll make sure we get that out to everybody," said Scott.

Health officials again stressed the importance of getting rid of standing water, wearing bug spray and loose-fitting clothing that covers arms and legs.

Also during the roundtable discussion, Mayor Bob Buckhorn expressed concern about mosquito breeding in the city, and said he is considering hiring a private contractor to do additional mosquito spraying if necessary.

"In the city of Tampa, we've got a lot of low-lying areas just because of our geography, and so we have a lot of standing water," said Buckhorn. "so I want to make sure that we are getting the attention that we need in the city, and if not, then I am willing to go out and hire a private contractor to supplement what [the county is] already doing."

Buckhorn said the money would come from the general fund, although he has not made a decision on f this effort will be necessary for sure.

You can watch Scott's 10News interview in the video above.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/gov-scott-talks-zika-preparedness-in-hillsborough-county/306906513

[niman]

August 24, 2016

http://www.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2016/08/082416-zika-update.html

Department of Health Daily Zika Update

Contact:
Communications Office
[email protected]
(850) 245-4111

Tallahassee, Fla. — In an effort to keep Florida residents and visitors safe and aware about the status of the Zika virus, the department will issue a Zika virus update each week day. Updates will include a CDC-confirmed Zika case count by county and information to keep Floridians informed and prepared.

There are 15 new travel related cases today, including three in Orange, three in Pinellas, three in Polk, two in Broward, one in Hillsborough, one in Manatee, one in Pasco and one in Volusia. Please visit our website to see the full list of travel-related cases.

There is one new non-travel related case today in Palm Beach County. This case is not connected to the investigation into an individual in Palm Beach County that was announced earlier this month.

DOH has begun door-to-door outreach and targeted testing in Palm Beach County and mosquito abatement and reduction activities are also taking place around the locations that are being investigated. DOH still believes ongoing transmission is only taking place within the small identified areas in Wynwood and Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County, see maps below.

One case does not mean ongoing active transmission is taking place. DOH conducts a thorough investigation by sampling close contacts and community members around each case to determine if additional people are infected. If DOH finds evidence that active transmission is occurring in an area, the media and the public will be notified.

For a complete breakdown of non-travel and travel-related Zika infections to-date, please see below.

Infection Type	Infection Count
Travel-Related   Infections of Zika	523
Non-Travel   Related Infections of Zika	43
Infections   Involving Pregnant Women	70

 

The department is currently conducting 10 investigations. Information regarding the investigations can be found here. If investigations reveal additional areas of active transmission, the department will announce a defined area of concern. 

The department has conducted Zika virus testing for more than 3,938 people statewide. Florida currently has the capacity to test 6,489 people for active Zika virus and 3,595 for Zika antibodies. At Governor Scott’s direction, all county health departments now offer free Zika risk assessment and testing to pregnant women.

CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant postpone travel to areas with widespread Zika infection. Florida’s small case cluster is not considered widespread transmission, however, pregnant women are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the impacted area in Miami-Dade County (see map below). If you are pregnant and must travel or if you live or work in the impacted area, protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing insect repellent, long clothing and limiting your time outdoors. 

According to CDC guidance, providers should consider testing all pregnant women with a history of travel to a Zika affected area for the virus. It is also recommended that all pregnant women who reside in or travel frequently to the area where active transmission is likely occurring be tested for Zika in the first and second trimester. Pregnant women in the identified area can contact their medical provider or their local county health department to be tested and receive a Zika prevention kit. CDC recommends that a pregnant woman with a history of Zika virus and her provider should consider additional ultrasounds. Additionally, the department is working closely with the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade County to identify pregnant women in the impacted areas to ensure they have access to resources and information to protect themselves. CDC recommends that a pregnant woman with a history of Zika virus and her provider should consider additional ultrasounds. 

Pregnant women can contact their local county health department for Zika risk assessment and testing hours and information. A Zika risk assessment will be conducted by county health department staff and blood and/or urine samples may be collected and sent to labs for testing. It may take one to two weeks to receive results.

Florida has been monitoring pregnant women with evidence of Zika regardless of symptoms. The total number of pregnant women who have been or are being monitored is 70.

On Feb. 12, Governor Scott directed the State Surgeon General to activate a Zika Virus Information Hotline for current Florida residents and visitors, as well as anyone planning on traveling to Florida in the near future. The hotline, managed by the Department of Health, has assisted 4,635 callers since it launched. The number for the Zika Virus Information Hotline is 1-855-622-6735.

The department urges Floridians to drain standing water weekly, no matter how seemingly small. A couple drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding location for mosquitoes. Residents and visitors also need to use repellents when enjoying the Florida outdoors.

For more information on DOH action and federal guidance, please click here.

For resources and information on Zika virus, click  here.

STATE OF FLORIDA

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at  @HealthyFla and on  Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit  www.FloridaHealth.gov.

Edited August 24, 2016 by niman

[niman]

ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS

The department is currently conducting 10 active investigations.

1)    Identified one-square mile in Miami-Dade – Two (2) original cases

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results
519	492	27	0

Door to door outreach and sampling continue. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities are on-going.

The department has cleared three portions within the one-square mile as no additional people tested positive in those areas. The CDC continues to monitor the area per their guidelines.

2)    First Miami-Dade investigation outside of Wynwood: One (1) case

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results*
21	19	0	2

 *Awaiting confirmatory testing from CDC to rule out infection.

3)    One (1) case in Palm Beach County:

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results
3	3	0	0

4) Second Miami-Dade investigation outside of Wynwood: One (1) case

The investigation is beginning in this area in Miami-Dade County. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities will take place around the area of interest.

5) Third Miami-Dade investigation outside of Wynwood: One (1) case

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results
6	1	0	5

 
6) Fourth Miami-Dade investigation outside of Wynwood: One (1) case

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results
27	24	0	3

7) Sixth Miami-Dade investigation outside of Wynwood: One (1) case

The investigation is beginning in this area in Miami-Dade County. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities will take place around the area of interest.

8) Miami-Beach Investigation: Five index cases, 3 are out of state

The investigation is beginning in this area in Miami-Dade County. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities will take place around the area of interest.

9) Pinellas Investigation: One (1) case

Total # of Samples Collected	Negative Samples	Positive Samples	Pending Results
3	0	0	3

 

10) Second Palm Beach County Investigation: One (1) case

The investigation is beginning in Palm Beach County. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities will take place around the area of interest.

 

CLOSED INVESTIGATIONS

• The department has closed out the investigations into the first cases in Miami-Dade and Broward County (two cases). On Aug. 23, the department had enough information to close two of the ongoing investigations in Miami-Dade County, both were determined to be single cases with no additional transmission or linkage to areas of active transmission.

 

---

_{Data as of Aug. 24, 2016 - 12:58pm EST}

_{http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/zika-virus/index.html?utm_source=flhealthIndex}

[niman]

Lake Worth woman tests positive for Zika, says Zika virus is in Palm Beach County

Michelle Quesada

11:56 PM, Aug 24, 2016

3 hours ago

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WPTV

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LAKE WORTH, Fla. - A local woman has sound the alarm that Zika is in Palm Beach County and she's proof.

The woman, who does not want to be identified, believes she was infected around her home in Lake Worth even though the health department says active transmissions of the Zika virus are only happening in Miami-Dade County.

For the last 24 hours the woman who says she is the second non-travel related case of Zika in Palm Beach County,  says she has been answering questions from the State Health Department.
"They want to know where, they want to know when, they're trying to track down a timeline," she said.

They are trying to figure out where the 24-year-old may have been bitten by a Zika-infected mosquito in Palm Beach County.

"A lot of people were telling it wasn't a possibility, but it clearly was a possibility," she added.

She says before she started showing symptoms she noticed two mosquito bites on her arm, but living in South Florida she didn't think anything of it.

"I don't spend a lot of time outdoors, so it could have literally been walking to my car," said the woman.

Then, the fever set in followed by a rash and joint pain. She kept a log of all the Zika-related symptoms. Her doctor contacted the health department which directed her to get tested for the virus at JFK Medical Center. The next day her symptoms were worse.

"I could no longer walk, I was crawling, army crawling. I couldn't bend my hands, I could bend my feet at the ankles. I could only wiggle my toes," she added.

She says the emphasis on locally-acquired Zika cases happening only in Miami-Dade County caused doctors to doubt she could have the virus.

"They were kind of like no, this isn't Zika, this isn't how it presents," she said as she described what doctors told her at the hospital she was admitted to. "So it made me feel like something more severe was happening and it was very nerve wracking," she said.

On Tuesday, she found out she has the Zika virus. She says she is doing better but still feels weak and dizzy at times. What scares her even more than what she's been through is what she doesn't know about the virus.

"There's not a lot of information right now, whose to say that if I were to get pregnant in 2, 5, 7 years, that this couldn't affect me?" she added.

Today the woman says one of her neighbors was being tested for Zika. Her 5-year-old daughter is also being tested. She says the health department advised her to wear long sleeves and limit her exposure outdoors. 

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/lake-worth/lake-worth-woman-tests-positive-for-zika-says-zika-virus-is-in-palm-beach-county

[niman]

Map Update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=1FlIB7hHnVgGD9TlbSx5HwAj-PEQ