Travelers urged to avoid northern Miami neighborhood
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for travelers to avoid a specific neighborhood in Miami, FL due to the threat of Zika virus there.
The warning is being called [link url=”http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/01/health/cdc-miami-florida-zika-travel-warning/index.html” title=”historic”] in that the CDC has never before issued a warning for travel to a specific U.S. neighborhood due to the threat of catching an infectious disease in the region.
The CDC’s official [link url=”http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0801-zika-travel-guidance.html” title=”guidance”] warns travelers to avoid the Wynwood arts district in the northern part of Miami. The warning came in large part due to quick spike in confirmed Zika virus infections in the region from [link url=”http://www.flgov.com/2016/08/01/gov-scott-florida-calls-on-cdc-to-activate-emergency-response-team-following-confirmed-mosquito-borne-transmissions/” title=”four to 14″] in just a few days. Additionally, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Florida Department of Health (DOH) that the 10 additional people likely [link url=”http://www.flgov.com/2016/08/01/gov-scott-florida-calls-on-cdc-to-activate-emergency-response-team-following-confirmed-mosquito-borne-transmissions/” title=”contracted the virus via a mosquito bite”].
Five CDC officials were on the ground in Miami as of yesterday, with three more set to arrive today.
CDC issues travel guidance related to Miami neighborhood with active #Zika spread. https://t.co/Fj7mfF9oOa
— CDC (@CDCgov) August 1, 2016
Specific guidance from the CDC
The guidance included multiple warnings aimed at pregnant women due to the [link url=”https://amuedge.com/who-zika-likely-linked-to-wider-range-of-birth-defects/” title=”link between Zika and birth defects”] that scientists continue to study vigorously.
Specific warnings included urging pregnant women to avoid the region entirely, to take every precaution to avoid both mosquito transmission and sexual transmission, and to speak with their healthcare provider about being tested for Zika.
“With the new information that there are active mosquitoes still in the area and additional Zika infections, we conclude that pregnant women should avoid this area – and make every effort to prevent mosquito bites if they live or work there.” — CDC Director [link url=”http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0801-zika-travel-guidance.html” title=”Tom Frieden”]
Zika funding still stalled in Congress
The Obama Administration [link url=”https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/02/22/letter-president-zika-virus” title=”officially requested $1.9 billion“] to fund protect the U.S. against Zika back in February, but funding efforts currently remained stalled in Congress. Recently, the CDC announced [link url=”https://amuedge.com/cdc-issues-clear-statement-on-zika-with-60-million-in-funding/” title=”$60 million in funding”] as a stopgap measure to be used to fight Zika while funding battles continue in Congress.
[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/cdc-issues-clear-statement-on-zika-with-60-million-in-funding/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/zika-and-the-threat-of-denial/”]
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