Florida cases seen as first sign Zika transmitted locally in U.S.

[uawchild]

Source: Reuters

Florida authorities on Friday reported what is believed to be the first evidence of local Zika transmission in the continental United States, concluding that mosquitoes likely infected four people with the virus that can cause a rare but serious birth defect.

Governor Rick Scott said the state believed active transmission of the virus was occurring within an area of Miami about the size of a square mile (2.6 square kms). Testing showed that one woman and three men had been infected, Scott said.

While health officials have yet to identify mosquitoes carrying the virus, the state has ruled out other means of transmission, including travel to another country with a Zika outbreak, and sexual contact.

"We have worked hard to stay ahead of the spread of Zika and prepare for the worst," Scott said in a statement. "We will continue to put every resource available to fighting the spread of Zika in our state."

Zika's greatest risk is believed to be posed by infection in pregnant women, given its ability to cause microcephaly in babies, a condition defined by small head size that can lead to developmental problems. The current outbreak was first detected in Brazil last year and has since spread rapidly through the Americas.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-florida-idUSKCN1091NZ

[elehhhhna]

1. same day tim kaine says be supports the hyde amendment

Wth

[greymattermom]

2. This needs to be a question for every candidate.

Do you support research on Zika and federal funding to develop a zika vaccine?

[yeoman6987]

3. Dangerous. Remember democrats voted the funding down.

[Igel]

5. They voted it down.

(R) had a poison pill in the rather diverse legislation. Not that people notice such details. (R) often vote down legislation for the same reason, but get blasted for voting down something they might well approve of in isolation. In both types of cases, the "poison pill" isn't really poison, but deemed unacceptable.

But swallowing distasteful things is usually what's needed for a compromise, but we'd rather lose and complain than compromise.

(R) didn't want to increase the deficit, which is up to around $500 billion for this year The (D) voting down of the funding can easily (and truthfully) be spun as "they'd rather not have Zika funding if it meant cutting that other program." Which, if memory serves, was Planned Parenthood in the same way that (R) voting down other funding bills is really saying they'd rather do without the funding rather than have something they don't like cut or funded.

Strictly speaking, there are already general purpose funds allocated which can be used for Zika research. The problem is the agencies have already allocated those funds for ebola (and other) programs and simply don't want to re-allocate them. For those agencies, ebola research is more important than Zika research. One has reached our shores, the other hasn't.

[riversedge]

6. yes, it was the PP provision in the bill that Dems opposed.

[ananda]

4. Tim Kaine was such a poor choice.

That's a drawback. He is still for the Hyde amendment
and the TPP. Ugly.

That's why I cannot support Clinton unreservedly.

But I will support her against Trump.

[Godhumor]

8. Toodles n/t

[BooScout]

9. Jury took it out and sent it to MIRT.