A.G. Gancarski
The Zika virus is making its way into the Sunshine State.
The Department of Health confirmed Tuesday the first Zika-related case of microcephaly in a child born in Florida.
The child’s mother, from Haiti, traveled with the virus and gave birth in Florida.
Gov. Rick Scott has attempted to sound the alarm to the federal government to provide the necessary resources to address Zika.
Thus far, he’s been thwarted in his attempts to get the help he wants from the feds.
But whether sufficient federal help is on the way or not, Scott has a public health crisis on his hands. And he’s determined to show he can handle it.
To that end, Scott made two stops on Tuesday to discuss Florida’s approach to Zika. The first was in West Palm Beach in the morning; the second, in Jacksonville in the afternoon, where he talked to local officials, including Mayor Lenny Curry.
Scott noted the first case of hydrocephaly, and 187 cases of Zika in Florida.
“The Department of Health will do everything we can to take care of them,” but it’s going to be tough, Scott said.
Scott noted that there are 44 requests for money from mosquito boards throughout the state.
“We’re going to continue to expect the federal government to do its part,” Scott said about this “national issue.”
Gov. Scott wanted another CDC call, to “educate our health care providers,” and noted steps being taken, like signs at airports and mailers, as in West Palm Beach, enclosed with water bills.
Scott also pointed out the importance of removing standing water around houses, “even a spoonful.”
Of course, a big part of this visit was to listen, Scott said, and to that end, discussion revolved around collaborating across departments to mitigate effects.
State help will be apportioned by several factors, including the size of the county and the amount of travelers in those counties.
Regarding microcephalic babies, the goal is going to be ensuring mother and child get the help they need, and providing testing for pregnant women who travel to Zika-ridden areas.
Mayor Curry said the visit demonstrates state and local governments are “on top of this” regarding “prevention and awareness.”
Weekly Zika task force meetings are being held, Curry said, with attention to mosquito control. Eight or nine of these have already taken place.
“We just want people to be aware and do everything they can to assist us,” Curry said.
John Shellhorn, who handles mosquito control for Duval County, said “we’ve just been thrilled with everything that’s happened to date,” noting that JEA bills will include Zika inserts.
“We really have put a lot of combined effort in reaching the public,” Shellhorn said.
Kelly Wells, head of Jacksonville’s Health Department, noted her department’s “vibrant, robust partnership with all of the elements of the community that make this work.”
“We’re talking about local messaging,” Wells said.
As well, “direct outreach to the homeless population” is part of the strategy, in addition to other “mosquito control messages” to target people who might otherwise miss the message.
One pressure: “limited English proficiency” or lack of access to information.
Her department is mapping those risks, and canvassing accordingly, Wells said.
Ultimately, Gov. Scott added, controlling standing water is key to impeding breeding.
“When the mosquito lays eggs,” Scott said, “it does it by the water.”
The vector species of mosquitoes, one of 47 in Duval County, is not as prevalent in Duval County as other species, but it can breed in even a teaspoon of water.
“It’s something as simple as once a week, looking around your yard and emptying the water,” Shellhorn said, from tarps and other structures where water can pool.
These mosquitoes don’t live long — just three weeks — but clearly, their effects can be long lasting.
And in Duval County, with a large land mass and population, requires preventive maintenance, especially given the stresses on local government.
“Every family has to step up themselves,” said Scott, “and we’ll do it as a state.”
Jacksonville is not a stranger to mosquito-driven devastation. Back in 1888, the yellow fever epidemic hit, causing death and infirmity.
The issues of living in reclaimed swampland, no matter how much pavement and development, apparently never goes away entirely.
