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As one Miami area is taken off Zika advisory, another triples in size
Filed Under:
Zika
Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
| Sep 19, 2016
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today removed Miami's Wynwood neighborhood from its Zika travel warning while keeping in place strong cautions for pregnant women, just days after Florida officials tripled a second transmission area in Miami Beach.
In other developments, despite Senate work over the weekend, the path forward for Congress to pass a Zika funding bill is still unclear, with only 2 weeks to go until lawmakers break again until after the November election.
Wynwood cases decline, incubation periods pass
In its announcement, the CDC said no local cases have been reported in Wynwood since early August, and Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said "tremendous progress" with mosquito control contributed to the revised travel warning. Local officials combined aerial application of the larvicide Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) with the adulticide naled, and Florida's health department (Florida Health) rigorously investigated possible Zika infections.
"Still, we encourage people not to let down their guard. We could see additional cases," he said. According to the CDC's interim Zika response plan, three mosquito incubation periods must pass without any new cases before interventions, such as travel guidance, end.
The CDC still recommends that pregnant women and their partners living in or traveling to the area take steps to prevent mosquito bites and added that those who are concerned about potential Zika virus exposure may also consider postponing nonessential travel to all parts of Miami-Dade County.
Men and women who visited or lived in the Wynwood area should be aware that it was an active Zika transmission area from Jun 15 to Sep 18, and pregnant women should talk to their health providers about getting tested for Zika virus, the agency said.
The CDC also emphasized its safe sex warnings for those with pregnant sex partners and those planning on getting pregnant.
Miami Beach transmission area triples
Meanwhile, state officials on Sep 16 tripled the Miami Beach transmission area after Florida Health identified five cases in the expanded area, all of whom had symptoms within 1 month of each other, according to a statement from Gov. Rick Scott's office.
That transmission area now covers 4.5 square miles. Of the five people sickened in the area, two are male and three are female. Florida Health announced one of the cases last week, and investigations of the other four cases were just completed. Aggressive mosquito control efforts are under way, including larvicide spraying.
The new cases, plus two new local ones announced today, lift the number of local infections among Florida residents to 85. The number of out-of-state cases linked to Florida travel remained at 10.
In the statement, Scott attributed the success in Wynwood to "our aggressive mosquito control measures, outreach to the community, educational efforts, and the vigilant actions of the residents and businesses in Wynwood."
Regarding the expansion of the Miami Beach transmission area, he said the development highlights the need for aggressive mosquito control steps to continue and that Congress needs to immediately approve federal money to fight the virus.
In his announcement, Scott also asked the CDC for another epidemiologist to support its efforts against the virus and for a call with community leaders and clinicians in Miami Beach to answer questions and cover the latest guidance. He said the state is also waiting for more lab support from the CDC and Zika prevention kits for pregnant women. Florida has also asked the Obama Administration for a detailed plan on how to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get federal resources.
Little progress on Zika funding
Members of the Senate have worked out a plan to settle a controversy in the latest version of the Zika response bill over the eligibility of Planned Parenthood for funds in Puerto Rico, the Associated Press (AP) reported today. Talks over the weekend, however, didn't make any headway on other flashpoints regarding the bill's other riders involving unrelated issues such as pesticide regulations.
The Senate had hoped to have an agreement today ahead of a procedural vote this evening, and the AP said it's unclear if it will take place as scheduled.
Lawmakers have until the end of the month to pass a continuing resolution, which could include Zika funds, to temporarily fund the government and avert an Oct 1 shutdown.
Meanwhile, President Obama and outside groups kept up the pressure on Congress to pass a Zika funding bill. Obama mentioned it in his radio address on Sep 17, and Trust for America's Health (TFAH) recently launched a social media awareness campaign highlighting the urgent funding need.
Richard Hamburg, MPA, TFAH's interim president, said in a statement, "Without additional support, health departments and communities are on their own. Either resources will be shifted from other pressing needs or communities will have insufficient means to perform mosquito testing, infection prevention, disease tracking, and other actions to protect against this devastating virus."
See also:
Sep 19 CDC press release
Sep 16 Gov Rick Scott statement
Sep 19 Florida Heath daily Zika update
Sep 19 AP story
Sep 12 TFAH statement
As one Miami area is taken off Zika advisory, another triples in size
Filed Under:
Zika
Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
| Sep 19, 2016
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today removed Miami's Wynwood neighborhood from its Zika travel warning while keeping in place strong cautions for pregnant women, just days after Florida officials tripled a second transmission area in Miami Beach.
In other developments, despite Senate work over the weekend, the path forward for Congress to pass a Zika funding bill is still unclear, with only 2 weeks to go until lawmakers break again until after the November election.
Wynwood cases decline, incubation periods pass
In its announcement, the CDC said no local cases have been reported in Wynwood since early August, and Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said "tremendous progress" with mosquito control contributed to the revised travel warning. Local officials combined aerial application of the larvicide Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) with the adulticide naled, and Florida's health department (Florida Health) rigorously investigated possible Zika infections.
"Still, we encourage people not to let down their guard. We could see additional cases," he said. According to the CDC's interim Zika response plan, three mosquito incubation periods must pass without any new cases before interventions, such as travel guidance, end.
The CDC still recommends that pregnant women and their partners living in or traveling to the area take steps to prevent mosquito bites and added that those who are concerned about potential Zika virus exposure may also consider postponing nonessential travel to all parts of Miami-Dade County.
Men and women who visited or lived in the Wynwood area should be aware that it was an active Zika transmission area from Jun 15 to Sep 18, and pregnant women should talk to their health providers about getting tested for Zika virus, the agency said.
The CDC also emphasized its safe sex warnings for those with pregnant sex partners and those planning on getting pregnant.
Miami Beach transmission area triples
Meanwhile, state officials on Sep 16 tripled the Miami Beach transmission area after Florida Health identified five cases in the expanded area, all of whom had symptoms within 1 month of each other, according to a statement from Gov. Rick Scott's office.
That transmission area now covers 4.5 square miles. Of the five people sickened in the area, two are male and three are female. Florida Health announced one of the cases last week, and investigations of the other four cases were just completed. Aggressive mosquito control efforts are under way, including larvicide spraying.
The new cases, plus two new local ones announced today, lift the number of local infections among Florida residents to 85. The number of out-of-state cases linked to Florida travel remained at 10.
In the statement, Scott attributed the success in Wynwood to "our aggressive mosquito control measures, outreach to the community, educational efforts, and the vigilant actions of the residents and businesses in Wynwood."
Regarding the expansion of the Miami Beach transmission area, he said the development highlights the need for aggressive mosquito control steps to continue and that Congress needs to immediately approve federal money to fight the virus.
In his announcement, Scott also asked the CDC for another epidemiologist to support its efforts against the virus and for a call with community leaders and clinicians in Miami Beach to answer questions and cover the latest guidance. He said the state is also waiting for more lab support from the CDC and Zika prevention kits for pregnant women. Florida has also asked the Obama Administration for a detailed plan on how to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get federal resources.
Little progress on Zika funding
Members of the Senate have worked out a plan to settle a controversy in the latest version of the Zika response bill over the eligibility of Planned Parenthood for funds in Puerto Rico, the Associated Press (AP) reported today. Talks over the weekend, however, didn't make any headway on other flashpoints regarding the bill's other riders involving unrelated issues such as pesticide regulations.
The Senate had hoped to have an agreement today ahead of a procedural vote this evening, and the AP said it's unclear if it will take place as scheduled.
Lawmakers have until the end of the month to pass a continuing resolution, which could include Zika funds, to temporarily fund the government and avert an Oct 1 shutdown.
Meanwhile, President Obama and outside groups kept up the pressure on Congress to pass a Zika funding bill. Obama mentioned it in his radio address on Sep 17, and Trust for America's Health (TFAH) recently launched a social media awareness campaign highlighting the urgent funding need.
Richard Hamburg, MPA, TFAH's interim president, said in a statement, "Without additional support, health departments and communities are on their own. Either resources will be shifted from other pressing needs or communities will have insufficient means to perform mosquito testing, infection prevention, disease tracking, and other actions to protect against this devastating virus."
See also:
Sep 19 CDC press release
Sep 16 Gov Rick Scott statement
Sep 19 Florida Heath daily Zika update
Sep 19 AP story
Sep 12 TFAH statement