Dr. Garth A. Rose
The spread of the Zika virus continues to concern South Floridians, as more reports of locally contracted cases from mosquito bites emerge. At the time of writing, the Florida Health Department reported 17 local cases – 14 cases in Miami-Dade, primarily in Wynwood, two in Broward County, and one case in Palm Beach County.
Efforts are being made by regional public health departments to increase aerial spraying, to stop the reproduction of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the breed of mosquito that spreads the virus. Since August 3, Miami-Dade County has increased spraying in a 10-mile square zone in and around Wynwood.
Due to this apparent localized proliferation of the virus making headlines, businesses in Wynwood, one of Miami’s premier tourism destinations, have begun to see a decline in customers. This decline compounds existing concerns about the effects of the disease on Miami-Dade’s $25 billion tourism industry.
On Tuesday, following days of continued rain, neighbors in a West Kendall community were seen emptying drums in street drains. Kathrine Holmes, a Caribbean-American resident in South Florida said she and her neighbors were taking steps to ensure mosquitoes “don’t breed and spread in the area. We have several pregnant women in the neighborhood. We must protect them against Zika.”
The CDC has cautioned pregnant women, or women planning to become pregnant, to be especially vigilant against contracting the disease because of the proven birth defects it can have on new born babies. The CDC has also issued an advisory against pregnant women traveling to, and living in the vicinity of Wynwood.
Holmes said she’s hopeful the county will find the “the necessary resources” to extend mosquito aerial spraying across the county. “With all this rain, and the potential to breed more mosquitoes; with residents moving from place to place, I fear there’s real possibility of Zika spreading beyond the Wynwood area.” According to a report, one of the cases contracted in Broward County involved someone bitten by a mosquito in the Miami city.
With the academic school year due to begin in Miami-Dade on August 22, parents are concerned about their children contracting the virus in school. “I can protect my kids with stuff like mosquito repellent at home,” said Olive Walker of South Miami, “but students aren’t allowed to take the repellent to school, so I am really concerned.”
School officials in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) have taken a proactive approach as the opening date gets near with some 400,000 students scheduled to return.
Miami-Dade District Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho said measures are being taken to ensure there is no breeding ground for mosquitoes at county schools, particularly at the six schools in the vicinity of Wynwood, who have large numbers of Haitian and other Caribbean-American students registered. The district said all the schools are safe from mosquitoes.
In addition, MDCPS officials have been making calls to homes of students on updates related to the virus, and urging students to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants to guard against being bitten by Zika-carrying mosquitoes. Walker said she has received the calls and plans to have her kids wear the recommended clothing to school “although they’ll be hot as hell.”
District officials are also making plans, in case the spread of the virus intensifies, to move students to schools outside affected areas. County school board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall said the county is prepared for any eventuality.
