News

Actions

First reported case of Zika in Florida; local officials not alarmed

Posted at 10:27 PM, Oct 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-13 07:26:09-04

State health officials are reporting the Florida's first Zika case this year, transmitted by a mosquito.

The Department of Health says a Manatee County couple  traveled to Cuba and one of them contracted Zika.

"Mosquito born diseases are always a cause for concern but I don't think there is a particularly high risk at this part of the season for Collier County," said Dr. Mark Clifton, Director of Research for the Collier County Mosquito Control District.

Last year the state reported almost 300 cases of Zika infections.  Clifton credits warm weather with limiting the number of cases in 2017.

"When you have a very dry season like we had, those eggs had to sit for a very, very long time, until there was water again."

As the nights get cooler the mosquito population will decline but until then, mosquito control is keeping a close eye on the dwindling numbers.

"We will test any mosquitoes that we find, we have an in house lab that is capable of viral testing, to look for the possibility there is virus in the mosquito population, to try and head off any local transmission," said Clifton.

Collier Mosquito Control planned aerial spraying for Immokalee and Ave Maria late Thursday and early Friday.