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Rick Scott: Prepare for Zika virus like it’s a hurricane

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Florida’s governor says the U.S. government needs to prepare for the Zika virus like it’s a hurricane. Forecasts for a hurricane threatening U.S. coasts trigger certain federal response operations. In a statement Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott says lawmakers and administrators in Washington owe citizens “a vigorous and thorough preparation effort at the federal level” to protect citizens before Zika spreads here. Scott plans to meet with Congressional leaders about Zika next week. Congress has gridlocked over President Barack Obama‘s $1.9…

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Florida now ready to test mosquitoes for Zika virus

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The Florida Department of Agriculture will begin testing mosquitoes for the Zika virus. Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Tuesday that a department laboratory in Kissimmee is now equipped to test for the virus. The same laboratory is used to test for animal diseases. The department is working with mosquito control districts to distribute traps and train them on how to submit samples. Department spokeswoman Jennifer Meale said testing would begin within two weeks. Florida leads the nation with 102 confirmed cases…

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Bill Nelson files legislation to provide $1.9B to fight Zika

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Sen. Bill Nelson is calling on lawmakers to fully fund President Barack Obama’s request to fight Zika virus. Nelson announced he planned to file legislation to provide the $1.9 billion the president has said is needed to fight the spread of the virus. The Florida senator took to the Senate floor on Thursday to make the announcement, saying he made the request after hearing “rumors that the appropriations committee is looking at a figure of $1.1 billion.” “This is truly…

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Florida reports 1st case of sexually transmitted Zika virus

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Florida health officials say they’ve confirmed the first case of sexually transmitted Zika virus in the state. Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong‘s office announced Wednesday that two new cases of Zika had been confirmed in Polk County. Officials say one instance was travel-related and, in the other case, the virus was sexually transmitted from an individual who had been traveling outside the country. Zika is mainly transmitted through bites from the mosquito species that also spreads dengue and chikungunya.…

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Living with people they bite, Zika mosquitoes hard to fight

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Mosquito-control workers are asking automotive retailers to get rid of old tires in the Florida Panhandle, lining up laboratories to test the insects for the Zika virus in New Orleans, and preparing to hunt down and destroy mosquito breeding sites in neighborhoods of infected people in coastal Georgia. These are among the advance steps that the heads of mosquito control agencies in U.S. cities and counties say they are taking to combat the Zika virus ahead of the typical springtime…

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Florida, vulnerable to Zika virus, gets ready for fight

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott says the state has three new cases of Zika and he’s adding a fifth county to his health emergency declaration. Scott said Thursday at a news conference in Tampa that the 12 cases in Florida are all from people who became infected with the mosquito-borne virus when they traveled to other countries. Florida’s warm climate, year-round mosquitoes and revolving door of international travelers make it vulnerable, but local governments have a history of fighting off similar…

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