Monroe County health officials confirm Zika virus case

The virus can also be spread by sex, prompting public health officials to advise that people who have been infected refrain from unprotected sex for several months.

The declaration means the island can now apply for emergency funding and appoint staff to assist in mosquito control efforts, outreach and Zika education campaigns.

“The department has not yet determined where the individual in Palm Beach County or the two individuals outside the one-square mile in Miami-Dade County likely contracted Zika and will share more details as the investigations progress”, the Florida Department of Health said a statement.

Puerto Rico Health Secretary Ana Rius said 90 people have been hospitalized because of Zika. Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla thanked federal officials for responding to his request to declare an emergency.

Health minister Dr Christopher Tufton, in a statement today, said that these community meetings will provide updates on Zika and give residents the opportunity to get more clarification on any issue related to the virus as we move to reinforce the need for individual responsibility.

Zika was first detected past year in Brazil, where it has taken its heaviest toll so far, and has spread rapidly through the Americas.

Zika is known to cause microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects in newborns and has been associated with other adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbirth and serious neurological problems.

Health authorities say they believe the number of Zika cases is much higher because eight of 10 people show no symptoms and many don’t go to the doctor. The US surgeon general said this week he expected 25 percent of the territory’s population to be infected with Zika by the end of 2016. In July, the U.S. reported its first locally transmitted cases of Zika in the southern state of Florida.