Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday that Florida health officials believe that four cases of the Zika virus were transmitted directly by mosquitoes in the state.
If true, they would be the first U.S. cases of Zika caused by mosquito bites in the U.S., as opposed to being caused by mosquito bites outside the U.S.
“We learned today that four people in our state likely have the Zika virus as a result of a mosquito bite,” Scott said in a statement. “All four of these people live in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and the Florida Department of Health believes that active transmissions of this virus could be occurring in one small area in Miami.
“Now that Florida has become the first state to have a local transmission, likely through a mosquito, we will continue to put every resource available to fighting the spread of Zika in our state,” he added.
He said he has already approved $26.2 million to fight the virus, which has been linked to birth defects. He also said he would spend more if warranted.
“At this time, [Florida’s Department of Health] believes that active transmissions of the Zika virus are occurring in one small area in Miami-Dade County, just north of downtown,” Scott’s office said in a statement.
Scott also warned pregnant mothers to ask for a “Zika Prevention Kit” from their doctor, and to wear insect repellent.
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said the development means it’s time to lean on federal resources to ensure Zika doesn’t spread further into the U.S.
“This is exactly what the nation’s top disease fighters alerted Congress about for months,” Buchanan said. “It’s critical now that we immediately direct all necessary federal resources to this health crisis to protect the public. Millions of Floridians – and Americans at large – are at risk as the hot summer months roll on and mosquitoes continue to spread.”
“Let’s be clear about the people that are most affected by this virus: pregnant mothers and their children,” he added. “We should be laser-focused on protecting the most vulnerable among us.”
The primary mode of transmission is mosquito bites, but until now there had been no cases in the U.S. of people getting the virus from mosquitoes.
The virus is spreading in more than 40 countries and territories, primarily in the Caribbean and South America.
Zika causes a mild illness and only one in five people show symptoms. However, the virus causes a birth defect called microcephaly that causes babies to be born with small heads. Experts also believe it is linked to a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre Syndrome that can cause temporary paralysis.
CDC officials have said for months they expected “limited outbreaks” of Zika but don’t believe that it will be as widespread as in Latin American countries such as Brazil or Colombia.
“This is not unexpected,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. “I’m almost certain that we are going to see more. The critical issue is how do you respond to that.”
The U.S. had more than 1,600 Zika cases as of July 27. About 15 of those cases were acquired through sexual transmission, and the rest were people who got it in other countries or the territories where the virus is spreading.
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration asked all blood donation centers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in Florida to halt blood donations until the blood can be tested for the virus. The agency added that blood donation centers across the country should not accept donations from people who recently traveled to Miami-Dade and Broward.
The first U.S. mosquito transmissions are sure to set off a political blame game between Democrats and Republicans over failing to approve a $1.1 billion funding package to fight the virus.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell even mentioned the standoff during his speech before the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, saying that Democrats blocked the bill.
Democrats have charged that Republicans are to blame.
The $1.1 billion funding package was the result of a conference agreement between House and Senate lawmakers to iron out differences between separate legislation the chambers passed earlier this year.
Democrats charge that Republicans put poison pill riders into the legislation that included eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood offices in Puerto Rico and lifting a ban on flying Confederate flags at federal cemeteries.
Democrats were also upset that the new package takes money from Obamacare programs.
Meanwhile, the CDC has criticized Congress for not approving the funding. During a recent interview with National Geographic, Director Tom Frieden that “this is no way to fight an epidemic.”
“We would like to begin really important activities that will help us, for instance, better understand the long-term impact on infants born to mothers who are infected over the long term,” according to National Geographic. “We would like to improve our ability to diagnose Zika. We’d like to have better ways to control mosquitoes.”
