As Fla. Scrambles To Fight Zika, Concerns Emerge About Chemicals Being Used, Other Strategies
NBC News reports that the state is using a chemical that has been banned in Europe, and The New York Times reports on how some people are growing uneasy about the roles of science and government. Meanwhile, attention is now focusing on the need for more information related to the first non-travel case of Zika identified in the Tampa area.
NBC News:
Florida Uses Chemical Banned In Europe To Fight Zika
Florida is currently using Naled to combat mosquitoes, but the chemical has been banned in Europe and Puerto Rico. (Mato, 8/24)
The New York Times:
In Florida Keys, Some Worry About ‘Science And Government’ More Than Zika
So when, several years ago, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District offered up the peninsula of Key Haven, a tiny suburb of Key West, for the first United States test of genetically modified mosquitoes built to blunt the spread of dengue and Zika, it was only a matter of time before opposition mounted. Today, even as federal officials have told pregnant women to stay away from parts of Miami-Dade County because of the Zika virus, Key Haven’s hardened position against the trial — or the experiment, as they call it — is hard to miss amid the bougainvillea and hibiscus flowering on lawns here. “No Consent to Release of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes,” red-and-white placards declare. (Alvarez, 8/24)
Health News Florida:
Rep. Jolly Pushing For Location Of Pinellas Zika Transmission
With the first locally-transmitted case of Zika in Tampa Bay the question on everyone’s minds is where?Rep. David Jolly, who represents Pinellas County, is pushing for an answer. It took 11 days for officials to say where in Miami the first locally-transmitted cases of Zika were detected. And that was only after the virus had spread. Jolly doesn't want that to happen here. (Ochoa, 8/24)
NPR:
Florida Doctors Outline Zika Risks In Treating Pregnant Patients
Being pregnant can be stressful. ... And now, some women and their partners have to consider the risks of Zika, especially in Florida where local mosquitoes have transmitted the virus. Elizabeth Etkin-Kramer is hearing more and more questions about Zika from her patients. She is an OB-GYN whose office is in Miami Beach which is one of the affected areas. (McEvers, 8/24)
