STATEMENT FROM DPH COMMISSIONER ON UPDATED

CDC ZIKA TRAVEL PRECAUTIONS

The following is a statement from Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino regarding yesterday’s announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that it has added an area north of Downtown Miami, FL to its travel warning for Zika-affected areas.

“Based on confirmation by the State of Florida and the CDC of several cases of locally transmitted Zika virus, the CDC is advising pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant and their sexual partners to avoid one area of Miami just north of the city’s downtown.  I encourage Connecticut women who are or plan to become pregnant and their partners to avoid this neighborhood, should they be travelling to Miami.  While Zika virus causes only mild symptoms in most people, it can have devastating, life-long consequences for unborn children.

The mosquito suspected of transmitting Zika in this Miami neighborhood is not found in Connecticut.  However, another mosquito capable of transmitting Zika, the Asian Tiger Mosquito, has been trapped in several Connecticut towns this summer. While none of these mosquitoes have tested positive for Zika thus far, I encourage Connecticut residents to help control mosquito populations by removing standing water outside homes and eliminating trash, debris and other materials that can collect water and provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes. 

At the direction of Governor Malloy, DPH has taken additional steps to actively detect any possible local transmission of Zika in Connecticut and will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect Connecticut residents from Zika virus.  To date, 45 Connecticut residents have tested positive for Zika virus, all occurring as a result of travel to Zika-affected countries or territories in the Caribbean and Central and South America.”