Central Florida has gotten its first confirmed case of the travel-related Zika virus. Osceola County is one of seven Florida counties with CDC-confirmed cases.
Here is a breakdown of where the 14 Zika cases have been confirmed by the Florida Department of Health, as of Friday.
- Hillsborough: 3 cases
- Miami-Dade: 5 cases
- Lee: 2 cases
- Santa Rosa: 1 case
- Broward: 1 case
- St. Johns: 1 case
- Osceola: 1 case
The Zika virus is suspected of causing birth defects, and although that link has not been established, it has some pregnant women in Florida asking questions.
Kimberly Cruz of Tampa is six months pregnant with her first child. She’s planning to name him Alfredo. In November, she traveled to Mexico, one of the countries where Zika cases have been confirmed.
She wasn't sick during the trip, but said she's going to check with her doctor to see if she needs to be tested for Zika antibodies.
"I think I'll consult with my doctor, since she probably would know best,” Cruz said.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to send Zika test kits to Florida, especially for testing pregnant women and new mothers who have traveled to affected areas and had symptoms of Zika.
Scott said testing is recommended but not required. None of the Zika patients in Florida are pregnant women. Last week, he declared a health emergency in counties with the virus. Scott also asked the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention for more equipment to test for Zika.
"Like in a hurricane, what we always say to ourselves is we're going to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best, and we're going to do everything we can to stay ahead of the Zika virus,” he said.
Reporter Abe Aboraya is part of WMFE in Orlando and reporter Lottie Watts is part of WUSF in Tampa. Health News Florida receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
