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1st LD Writethru: U.S. probes possible first case of Zika virus spread by local mosquitoes

Xinhua, July 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

U.S. health officials are investigating a possible case of Zika virus spread by local mosquitoes in Florida on Wednesday, as President Barack Obama pledged to provide the state more money to fight the mosquito-borne virus.

The Florida Department of Health did not reveal too much information about the patient, only identifying the new case as a "possible non-travel related case of Zika virus in Miami-Dade County."

But it was the first hint that Zika may have finally spread to mosquitoes in the continental United States, since no such a case has been reported previously.

According to the department's statement, the investigation "is ongoing and the department will share more details as they become available."

Meanwhile, the White House said in a statement that President Obama spoke by phone Wednesday with Governor Rick Scott of Florida regarding the possible "first documented Zika infection caused by a mosquito in the continental United States."

"The President recognized Florida's strong record of responding aggressively to local outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses like Zika, and offered federal support and technical assistance for Florida's ongoing case investigation and mosquito control efforts," the White House statement said.

Obama also noted during the call that in addition to the two million U.S. dollars that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided to Florida for Zika preparedness, the agency anticipates it will award Florida another 5.6 million dollars in Zika funding this week.

Separately, the Utah Department of Health said early this week it's investigating a "unique" Zika case who has not recently traveled to an area with Zika and has not had sex with another patient or someone who has traveled to an area with Zika.

The Utah case was reportedly the son of a man who became the first person in the continental U.S. to die after being infected with the Zika virus and may have acquired the virus after caring for his infected father.

Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito and it can also be spread sexually. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

As of July 13, 1,306 cases of Zika have been reported in the continental United States and Hawaii, and none of these have been the result of local spread by mosquitoes, according to the U.S. CDC.

These cases include 14 believed to be the result of sexual transmission and one that was the result of a laboratory exposure, the CDC said. Enditem