The Florida Department of Health announced that fifteen South Florida residents have been diagnosed with Zika fever locally through a mosquito bite. Governor Scott said in a statement earlier this week that the "DOH has been testing individuals in three locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties for possible local transmissions through mosquito bites”.

The Florida Department of Health has tested 2,300 people for Zika virus statewide, and 372 have been confirmed to be infected with the virus identified through a door-to-door investigation. Experts from the CDC and National Institutes of Health had long suspected that there could be some local transmission of Zika virus in the U.S., especially in Florida, where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is present and many people travel to South or Central American countries, where the Zika epidemic has been ongoing.

Dr. Alejandro Badia, CEO and Co-Founder of OrthoNOW®, the country’s only network of orthopedic urgent care centers, explains “that Zika fever, is a mild febrile illness caused by a mosquito-borne virus similar to those that cause the more serious Dengue Fever and West Nile virus infection. It can be transmitted via a bite from a carrying mosquito, sexual transmission and travel”.

Authorities continue the process of alerting the public in the affected Miami – Dade and Broward neighborhoods where the Zika patients reside to come in for testing to determine the rate of possible infection in the area. Dr. Badia says “Only about 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus are symptomatic compared to Dengue Fever when all patients are symptomatic. Signs and symptoms of Zika fever may include: acute onset of low-grade fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (reddening of eye), body aches, headache, eye pain, and vomiting”.

Similar to dengue and other viral infections, the joint and muscular pain (inflammation) can last anywhere from several days up to several weeks after the disease has subsided.   “While the chances are that the joint pain/aches you are experiencing are likely not from Zika, the orthopedic specialists at OrthoNOW® are trained to evaluate the multitude of causes of joint or musculoskeletal pain and will ensure that appropriate treatment protocols are instituted”, added Badia.

Badia encourages people in South Florida to wear insect repellent and clothing that covers their extremities to lessen the risk of bites. Clearing any standing water in or around your place of business or home is also advised as this is a breeding ground for mosquitos.

Any patients presenting to an OrthoNOW® center with a suspected Zika virus infection will be directed to the Florida department of health for further evaluation.

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