Sacramento Officials Confirm First Zika Case
However, there's still no local risk of being infected, officials reaffirm, because the region does not have the mosquito that caries the virus. The man had traveled to a Zika-affected country.
Sacramento Bee:
Zika Found In Sacramento County's First Reported Case
A Sacramento County man who recently traveled to an area with active Zika transmission has tested positive in a preliminary test for the virus. The 34-year-old man sought medical care after exhibiting Zika symptoms, prompting the doctor to report the case to the county, said Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye. She could not specify which symptoms the man had. (Caiola, 7/28)
In other new about the virus —
ABC News:
First Outbreak Of Locally Transmitted Zika Virus Confirmed In Continental US
An outbreak of the Zika virus has been confirmed in Florida, marking the first time the virus has been found to be transmitted via infected mosquitoes within the U.S. The outbreak has infected at least four people, three men and one woman, through local transmission, Florida officials said today. “This means Florida has become the first state in our nation to have local transmission of the Zika virus," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said today. (7/29)
Stat:
The Best Drug To Fight Zika May Already Be Approved And Out There, Study Suggests
Several teams of scientists are racing to develop a vaccine for the Zika virus. But what if a drug that already exists could stop an infection in its tracks?
According to new research, it’s not a totally crazy idea. A group of researchers has identified two dozen Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that have shown some ability to block Zika from infecting human cells in the lab, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Some of these drugs — which treat infections, cancers, and even depression— also showed potential to prevent infection in certain cells tied to fetal defects in pregnant women. (Joseph, 7/28)
Modern Healthcare:
Failure To Fund Efforts To Fight Zika Reveals Need To Permanently Address Public Health Disasters
Nearly 800 women in the United States and its territories have tested positive for a Zika infection. ... And yet, Congress left for its seven week summer break without approving President Barack Obama's request for $1.9 billion to deal with Zika. (Muchmore, 7/28)