Zika Preparedness and Response in Ohio

  • Published
  • By Ohio Department of Health
The Florida Department of Health has gathered enough information as part of its ongoing investigation into non-travel related cases of Zika in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to conclude that a high likelihood exists that four cases are the result of local transmission. At this time, the Florida Department of Health believes that active transmission of the Zika virus occurred in one small area in Miami-Dade County, just north of downtown. The Florida Department of Health reports that while none of the mosquitoes trapped as part of this investigation tested positive for the Zika virus, it still is very likely that these four cases were infected through the bite of infected mosquitoes in this area.


What we know about Florida’s current investigation:

  • Cases have no history of travel to an area with active Zika virus transmission nor had sexual contact with a partner that had known lab-evidence of Zika virus infection.

  • Cases were infected in early July 2016 and developed symptoms a few days shortly after infection.

  • The Florida Department of Health and its partners have responded to the situation and conducted aggressive vector control activities in the neighborhoods of the cases to mitigate the risk of further spread.

  • The Florida Department of Health has been collecting specimens from residents in the impacted areas to identify other possible cases that may be asymptomatic.

  • No new cases have been identified with an onset date after vector control activities took place by the Florida Department of Health and its partners.

  • The Florida Department of Health has shared the impacted area with the public.

    • The Florida Department of Health believes that active transmission of the Zika virus is occurring in one small area in Miami-Dade County, just north of downtown. The exact location is within the boundaries of the following area: NW 5th Avenue to the west, US 1 to the east, NW/NE 38th Street to the north and NW/NE 20th Street to the south. This area is about 1 square mile.

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that they will not be currently designating the impacted area or the entire state of Florida as areas with active Zika virus transmission as it is believed that the area is no longer an area with active Zika virus transmission.

From the start of CDC’s Zika response, it has expressed its expectations for small incidents of local transmission of Zika virus to occur most likely in the southern region of the United States, where the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are established and presence is continuously reported.

CDC continues to remind stakeholders that Zika virus outbreaks in the continental United States will most likely reflect past outbreaks of chikungunya and dengue, which are spread by the same type of mosquito and have been relatively sporadic, small, and limited to a small area.

Per CDC, for Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes to cause an outbreak in the continental United States, all of the following must happen:

  • People infected with a virus (like Zika, dengue, or chikungunya) must enter the United States.

  • An Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito in the United States bites an infected person during the first week of infection when the virus can be found in the person’s blood.

  • The infected mosquito lives long enough for the virus to multiply and for the mosquito to bite another person.

  • The cycle continues multiple times to start an outbreak.

The Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Zika response continues to focus on surveillance; education and prevention through communication to the general public, medical community, local health departments and state agency partners; Zika virus testing; and vector/mosquito control.

  • As of July 29, 2016, ODH reports 28 lab-confirmed cases of Zika virus (27 vector-borne transmissions during travel to an area with active Zika virus transmission and 1 through sexual contact with a person that traveled to an area with active Zika virus transmission).

  • Every new lab-confirmed case of Zika virus that is identified in Ohio is investigated and followed up by the local health department to prevent mosquito-borne local transmission of Zika.

  • There are no mosquito-borne local cases of Zika in the state of Ohio.

  • ODH guidance to providers on reporting and submitting specimens for testing of suspected cases of Zika virus remains unchanged and follows CDC’s current guidance.

    • Per CDC, the State of Florida should not be considered as an area with active Zika virus transmission at this time.

CDC continues to stress that pregnant women should do all they can to avoid mosquito bites by applying mosquito repellent with DEET every day when visiting/residing in areas where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is present; repair and install window screens in homes; wear long sleeve shirts and pants; practice safe sex or abstain from sex with partners who may have traveled to an area with ongoing active Zika virus transmission. Pregnant women are advised to postpone or cancel travel to areas with ongoing active Zika virus transmission. See http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/index.html for the most current list.

For more information on Florida’s investigation, see http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0729-florida-zika-cases.html


Additional information is available at
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/bid/zdp/diseases/zika.aspx

ODH will continue to work with CDC and other partners to receive the most up-to-date available information regarding the ongoing investigation in Florida. For more information regarding Zika virus disease and eligibility for testing, contact the ODH Bureau of Infectious Diseases, Zoonotic Disease Program at 614-995-5599.