Zika Pinellas Case Is Tampa Firefighter

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10Investigates has discovered it could have been contracted in Hillsborough County because the Pinellas resident works as a firefighter in Tampa.

There is a lot we don't know, because the Florida Department of Health is keeping the information very close to the vest and that could be because there is a huge concern what  the disease could do to the state tourism industry.

But 10Investigates did find out was the firefighter infected works at Fire Station No. 3 on Kennedy Boulevard and Willow Avenue.

http://www.wtsp.com/news/investigations/tampa-firefighter-who-lives-in-pinellas-has-zika-virus/310667884

[niman]

Tampa firefighter who lives in Pinellas has Zika

 

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A Tampa firefighter, who lives in Pinellas, contracted the Zika virus.

MIke Deeson, WTSP 10:40 PM. EST August 29, 2016

Tampa, Florida -- There is new information about the person infected with the Zika virus from Pinellas County.

10Investigates has discovered it could have been contracted in Hillsborough County because the Pinellas resident works as a firefighter in Tampa.

There is a lot we don't know, because the Florida Department of Health is keeping the information very close to the vest and that could be because there is a huge concern what  the disease could do to the state tourism industry.

But 10Investigates did find out was the firefighter infected works at Fire Station No. 3 on Kennedy Boulevard and Willow Avenue.

That means  it is possible mosquitoes carrying the disease could be in Hillsborough.

The Department of Health says that's why every firefighter who works at station No. 3 was tested.

The department  also said it does target sampling of close contacts to the individual who has tested positive, and added, as far as they know, there have been no cases of nontravel related Zika in Hillsborough County.

But, are the other firefighters at the station worried? Capt. Aaron Crawford said, "I don’t know, I can’t speak for anyone else."

Crawford declined to comment on how he felt about it.

Fire Department spokesman Jason Penny said, “We value our firefighter as a patient and cannot discuss the issue because  it violates privacy laws."

10Investigates was told none of the other firefighters at the station tested positive, but is not sure if the mosquito bite was in Pinellas.

[niman]

Map Update

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

[niman]

The location of Pinellas County's first local Zika case is a secret. Good idea or bad?
Christopher O'DonnellChristopher O'Donnell, Times Staff Writer
Monday, August 29, 2016 7:32pm

Maps issued by the Florida Department of Health pinpoint right down to street level where mosquitoes are spreading the Zika virus in South Florida.

But in Pinellas County, officials refuse to get any more specific than saying a single infection was found somewhere in the county's 280 square miles.

Surgeon General Celeste Philip said it makes no sense to divulge where the infected resident lives or works until officials can confirm the virus is being spread in those locations.

But that could take up to two weeks and leaves residents and local governments too much in the dark, say some local leaders. That includes U.S. Rep. David Jolly and St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, who say residents and local governments need more detailed information to prepare for a possible outbreak.

"When you drop something out there as broad as what they have done you create a significant concern in the community," Kriseman said. "I just don't understand. If you can't get specific, then why even say Pinellas county?"

It's a view shared by some but not all public health experts, who agree FDOH officials face a tough balancing act in giving people the information they need to make informed decisions about their safety while not inducing unnecessary panic. The privacy of the infected resident must also be protected, they said.

RELATED: Local leaders request permission to use genetically modified mosquitoes in Pinellas County

"This is a virus that is not transmitted easily but there are risks the public should be aware about," said Summer McGee, an associate professor in health care administration at the University of New Haven. "Knowing maybe the town, that might allow the public to feel a little more informed, more secure, without potentially harming any individual."

Guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the first locally transmitted case of Zika advise issuing a public alert and providing "timely, accurate and actionable" information.

But there is no specific guidance on how detailed that information should be, although a sample press release does advise informing the community that mosquitoes are spreading the virus.

Philip has stated that the Pinellas residents caught the virus from a mosquito bite but declined to confirm whether mosquitoes in the county may be infected.

A single case is not proof that the infection is spreading, officials said.

"If the department identifies an area of concern, we will notify the media and the public immediately," said Mara Gambineri, department communications director.

An estimated 400 people will be infected with the Zika virus by mosquitoes in Florida by mid-September, according to projections developed by an international team of scientists from the University of Florida and half a dozen other research institutions.

CDC principal deputy director Anne Schuchat described the Zika virus as unprecedented in that it can be spread both by mosquitoes and through sexual intercourse. Another complicating factor: Only one in five infected people exhibit symptoms.

While rarely fatal, Zika has been linked to microcephaly, a birth defect where a baby's head is smaller than normal and which is often accompanied by developmental issues. That makes it crucial that pregnant women and those planning a family know whether they need to change their daily routines and take extra precautions because the virus may be close by, McGee said.

"There is an extra layer of vulnerabilities because we're talking about pregnant women and unborn children," she said.

By not providing more accurate details about the location of infections, officials are risking a backlash if cases arise because residents did not know to avoid an area, said Peter Jacobson, professor of health law and policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

"This isn't just a mild flu virus," he said. "If the virus was to appear, people will ask, 'Why didn't you tell us where it is?'"

Gov. Rick Scott announced Aug. 23 that Pinellas had its first locally transmitted case. State and local health officials are conducting a door-to-door outreach effort and have tested people known to be in direct contact with the infected resident. Mosquito spraying in areas where the resident spent time outdoors was conducted on both sides of Tampa Bay.

But it may be up to two weeks before the state can confirm whether mosquitoes are actively spreading the disease locally.

The state's decision to limit information is the right one, said Mark Hart, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida who teaches health communication.

In addition to health risks, officials also have to consider the economic effects and well-being of a community in the information they release about infections, he said

Naming a neighborhood based solely on where an infected person lives would raise panic there while potentially giving other residents a false sense of security.

"Their job is to be the voice of definite facts balanced with scientifically gained knowledge," Hart said.

The health department has done a good job in making Floridians aware of Zika without creating a panic, he added.

"A year ago, not many people had heard of Zika," he said. "Most people in America now know what Zika is and how its contracted and some of the potential effects."

Contact Christopher O'Donnell at [email protected] or (813) 226-3446. Follow @codonnell_Times.

The location of Pinellas County's first local Zika case is a secret. Good idea or bad? 08/29/16 [Last modified: Monday, August 29, 2016 7:31pm] 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/the-location-of-pinellas-countys-first-local-zika-case-is-a-secret-good/2291422

[niman]

First victim of local Zika infection is Tampa firefighter living in Pinellas
By Christopher O'DonnellTimes Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 30, 2016 10:48am

Print  0
At the Pinellas County Mosquito Control laboratory, researchers have been studying the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that can carry the Zika virus. [JIM DAMASKE   |   Times]
At the Pinellas County Mosquito Control laboratory, researchers have been studying the Aedes Aegypti mosquito that can carry the Zika virus. [JIM DAMASKE | Times]
TAMPA — The single victim of a locally transmitted Zika virus infection in the Tampa Bay area is a firefighter with Tampa Fire Rescue who lives in Pinellas County, an agency spokesman said today.

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Personnel at the station where the firefighter works also were tested for Zika and the results were negative, said Jason Penny, Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman.

KEEPING ZIKA SECRET: Is it a good or badidea?

The firefighter who was infected no longer has the virus, Penny said. The firefighter works at Station No. 3, Kennedy Boulevard at Willow Avenue.

No personal information of about the firefighter is being released, Penny said, because of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPPA, which protects the privacy and security of health information.

Gov. Rick Scott announced Aug. 23 that Pinellas had its first locally transmitted Zika case. State and local health officials are conducting a door-to-door outreach effort and have tested people known to be in direct contact with the infected resident.

Mosquito spraying in areas where the resident spent time outdoors was conducted on both sides of Tampa Bay.

Surgeon General Celeste Philip had declined to divulge where the infected resident lives or works until officials could confirm the virus is being spread in those locations.

But that could take up to two weeks and leaves residents and local governments too much in the dark, some local leaders have said.

This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.

First victim of local Zika infection is Tampa firefighter living in Pinellas 08/30/16 [Last modified: Tuesday, August 30, 2016 10:48am] 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/first-victim-of-local-zika-infection-is-tampa-firefighter-living-in/2291469?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter