Yesterday, Florida Governor Rick Scott put in place an Emergency Response Unit to investigate and contain the fourteen recently announced cases of the Zika virus that have sprung up in the state. The emergence of the virus in the United States brings to the forefront concerns about travel to the Sunshine State.
As most people are aware, the Zika virus is most harmful to expectant women, or women who are thinking about becoming pregnant. The CDC has linked cases of Zika virus linked to the birth of children born with microcephaly and other fetal brain defects. Now, those concerns shouldn’t put people entirely off traveling to Florida. At the moment, all 14 reported cases of the virus have been contained to the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami.
As a result, women who are considering traveling to Florida should take extra caution when heading to the Miami area in particular. In his official press release, Gov. Scott advised, “women who live or work in the impacted area and are either pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant … to contact your OB/GYN for guidance and to receive a Zika prevention kit.”
For the time being, Florida as a whole shouldn’t be considered off limits for travelers. Both the Florida government and the CDC has leapt into action to stem the tide of new cases in the hopes of curtailing the virus before it gets a real foothold in the country.
