Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Tiny houses under fire by builders ... Local veteran's persistence pays off for all vets ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Tiny houses under fire by builders ... Local veteran's persistence pays off for all vets ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Florida: Disaster coming without help on Zika fight Florida currently has 162 cases of Zika virus, including 38 pregnant women. All of the cases involve residents infected outside the country, but state officials are worried that the onset of hurricane season and wet weather will lead to the virus being transmitted to mosquitoes domestically. Comment By Gary Fineout And Jennifer Kay Associated Press MailTribune.com By Gary Fineout And Jennifer Kay Associated Press Posted Jun. 2, 2016 at 7:09 AM By Gary Fineout And Jennifer Kay Associated Press Posted Jun. 2, 2016 at 7:09 AM » Social News Florida will experience a "disaster" with the Zika virus if federal authorities don't immediately provide money to help battle the virus, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday. Scott, who had already visited Washington, D.C., in an effort to get Congress to act, sent a strongly worded letter to President Barack Obama asking the federal government to do something. The Republican governor called it "profoundly disappointing" that Congress has not taken "immediate action." White House spokesman Josh Earnest responded to the letter by saying that "we hope that Republicans in Congress will finally get the message" and approve the $1.9 billion that the president has been seeking. Congress is currently divided over how much money to spend to battle the virus, which can cause grave birth defects and be spread by certain mosquitoes. Florida currently has 162 cases of Zika virus, including 38 pregnant women. All of the cases involve residents infected outside the country, but state officials are worried that the onset of hurricane season and wet weather will lead to the virus being transmitted to mosquitoes domestically. "There is no doubt that we fall further and further behind fighting the spread of this virus with every day that passes and we are not fully prepared," Scott wrote in his letter. "... We need federal action now to keep our citizens safe and healthy through what would no doubt be a disaster if this virus becomes mosquito-borne in our state." Scott wants money to help the state pay for insecticides, mosquito-spraying equipment and kits to help with Zika preparation efforts as well as money to help local governments hire additional people to increase spraying efforts. Adding urgency to Scott's request: Health officials announced Wednesday that a tourist contracted dengue fever in Key West. The mosquitoes that carry dengue also transmit Zika and other viruses. Reported Zika Virus Cases in the United States | HealthGrove A statement from the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County says the person, who is not a state resident, is recovering. "All indications are that this infection was locally acquired in Key West," it says, adding that mosquito control officials have intensified their activities in the southernmost city in the continental U.S. Dengue fever is rarely fatal but causes debilitating pain. The island chain had been free of dengue since an outbreak that infected dozens of people in Key West ended in October 2010. Since then, the state typically records a handful of cases each year, mostly in the Miami area. Scott has not yet said if he will tap into state dollars to cover costs needed to battle the virus if the federal government remains at a stalemate over how to respond. He has the power to ask that legislative leaders approve emergency spending requests, but he has not done so. ___ Kay reported from Miami. Associated Press White House Reporter Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. Follow Gary Fineout on Twitter: http://twitter.com/fineout By Gary Fineout And Jennifer Kay Associated Press MailTribune.com By Gary Fineout And Jennifer Kay Associated Press Posted Jun. 2, 2016 at 7:09 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! ERROR: Object template cce_3 is missing! Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501