By Rob Lorei
Its the rainy season in Florida, and that means there will be a boom in the mosquito population. However, there is an increased concern this year over the spread of Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause birth defects in children born to infected mothers. Florida currently has more than 200 cases of Zika virus, including 40 pregnant women, but all of the cases involve residents infected outside the country. Florida Gov. Rick Scott is ordering the state to spend millions to battle mosquitoes and prepare for the Zika virus, and has asked the federal government for more money to do so. On Radioactivity Friday we spoke with Dr. Carlos Fernandes,Manager of Hillsborough County’s Mosquito and Aquatic Weed Control Unit, about how Zika is spread, who is at risk, and what the public can do to help control mosquito populations.
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