Images to illustrate the Zika virus are seen at a Bharat Biotech press conference in Hyderabad on Wednesday (Photo: AFP)
February 3, 2016
Florida governor declares emergency due to virus
GOVERNOR of Florida Rick Scott has declared a health emergency in four counties of the state because of the Zika virus.
At least nine cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been detected in Florida, which health officials believe were all contracted by people who travelled to affected countries.
Scott signed the order yesterday to cover Miami-Dade, Lee, Hillsborough, and Santa Rosa counties.
The virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites, but investigators had been exploring the possibility it could be sexually transmitted.
US health officials say a person in Texas became infected with Zika through sex in the first case of the illness being transmitted within the United States.
