Over the weekend a new Zika case was confirmed in Broward County of southern Florida, pushing the number of official Zika cases in the state to 21, according to the Miami Herald.
While the number of Zika cases in Florida is growing, there have been no local mosquito-borne Zika infections confirmed in Florida or any state, according to the CDC. However, in anticipation of the first domestically acquired infection, the Florida Health Department activated a Zika hotline on Feb. 12 (855-622-6735), providing an informative Zika resource for Floridians.
None of the confirmed cases in Florida involve pregnant women, who are to at high risk due to the suspected link between Zika and the birth defect microcephaly. The CDC has not stated whether any of the Zika cases in other states include pregnant women, according to the Miami Herald.
Health officials advise for citizens to protect themselves from mosquitoes by using repellant on both skin and clothing, draining standing water and covering windows with protective screens.
More articles on the Zika virus:
Guillian-Barre on rise in Latin America, suspected link to Zika yet to be proven
WHO provides informational Q&A about Zika virus and microcephaly
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