Zika in Florida: 1st Martin County case, 6th pregnant woman
Florida health officials reported today that three additional travel associated Zika virus cases were reported, bringing the state total to 99.
Martin County Florida map
Image/David Benbennick
Martin County saw their first case, while Palm Beach County reported thier sixth and a sixth pregnant woman from an undisclosed county was recorded.
With the addition of Martin County, 17 counties are under the Declaration of Public Health Emergency–Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Santa Rosa, Seminole and St. Johns.
There have been no locally-acquired cases of Zika in Florida.
Travelers to a tropical or sub-tropical area (Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America), can protect themselves from Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases by following these prevention suggestions:
- Use insect repellant with any of the following active ingredients
- DEET (up to 30%)
- Picaridin
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus
- Para-menthane diol
- IR3535
- Always follow product label instructions and make sure repellent is age-appropriate.
- It is safe for pregnant or nursing women to use EPA-approved repellants if applied according to package label instructions.
- Apply repellent on bare skin or clothing, not under clothing.
- Cover skin with long-sleeved shirts and long pants
- Apply a permethrin repellent directly to clothing or purchase pre-treated clothing. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and do not apply directly to the skin.
- Keep mosquitoes out of hotel rooms
- Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows and doors.
- Sleep under a mosquito bed net when outside or in a room that is not screened.
