Florida, which is likely the mosquito capital of the U.S., has nine reported cases of the Zika virus. Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in four Florida counties where the virus has spread. Though all of the people infected contracted the virus outside of the country, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the primary carrier of the virus, is indigenous to the southeast region, including Florida. Mosquito populations are down due to the winter season, but officials want residents to be prepared for the chance that the virus could start to spread from mosquito to person within the state. In a statement, the governor said, “Our Department of Health will continue to be in constant communication with all county health offices, hospitals and the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We know that we must be prepared for the worst even as we hope for the best.”
