On June 9, 2016, in News Releases, by Staff
MIAMI, Fla. – Today, Governor Rick Scott spoke with Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Centers for Diseases Control (CDC) Director Dr. Tom Frieden on Zika preparedness. Governor Scott reiterated the requests that he has continued to make to the federal government to prepare for the Zika virus once it becomes mosquito-borne in Florida. Governor Scott also requested that the CDC provide an additional 1,300 Zika antibody tests to Florida to allow individuals, especially pregnant women and new mothers, to see if they ever had the Zika virus. Today’s call followed Governor Scott’s meetings with Hillsborough and Miami-Dade County officials on their efforts to combat Zika in their communities.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Since we had our first travel-related Zika case in Florida earlier this year, our state is doing everything we can to ensure we are prepared for the possible spread of the Zika virus. It is crucial that we have every available resource, and that is why I requested the CDC provide an additional 1,300 Zika antibody tests during my call with Director Frieden and Secretary Burwell today. I also reiterated the many unfulfilled requests we have made to the federal government since May. This includes providing 5,000 Zika preparation kits to the Florida Department of Health and fulfilling the requests made by nearly 30 counties, cities and mosquito control districts in Florida.
“Today, I also met with leaders in Miami-Dade and Hillsborough Counties on their Zika preparedness efforts and I will continue to travel the state to meet with local communities and reiterate their requests to the federal government so our communities are prepared to fight the Zika virus. This is a national issue and I look forward to the federal government fulfilling our requests.”
Governor Scott has previously requested the following from the federal government:
- 5,000 Zika preparedness kits to our Department of Health (Requested in 5/12 meeting)
- Resources to enhance mosquito surveillance (Requested in 5/12 meeting)
- Resources to enhance mosquito abatement (Requested in 5/12 meeting)
- Resources to increase training for mosquito control technicians (Requested in 5/12 meeting)
- Resources to increase mosquito laboratory capacity (Requested in 5/12 meeting)
- Specific requests made by nearly 30 counties, cities, and mosquito districts for mosquito prevention to combat the Zika virus (Requested in 6/1 letter). These requests include:
Resources to hire additional personnel;
Insecticides to combat mosquitos;
Resources to enhance community outreach;
Mosquito spraying equipment and traps; and
Personal protection equipment;
A detailed plan by June 15th on how President Obama’s Administration would like Florida to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on requesting emergency response funds once the Zika virus becomes mosquito-borne in our state and we are in need of resources to respond to an outbreak.
