Gulf Coast states most vulnerable to a Zika outbreak
Saturday, 23 Aug, 2016
0
An official from the National Institutes of Health says all Gulf Coast states, including Florida are the most vulnerable to an outbreak of the Zika virus.
Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci said Louisiana especially is susceptible to an outbreak due to the widespread flooding.
"I would not be surprised if we see cases in Texas and Louisiana, particularly now where you have the situation with flooding in Louisiana," said Fauci.
"There are going to be a lot of problems getting rid of standing water."
Fauci also believes there is no quick fix.
"With our experience with other similar viruses like dengue, this is something that could hang around for a year or two," Fauci said.
"Hopefully, we get to a point to where we could suppress it so that we won’t have any risk of it."
Locally transmitted Zika cases have been found in the Wynwood and Miami Beach areas of Miami-Dade County, the latter in particular causing fears over a probable tourism slowdown.
The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Freidem acknowledges the greater difficulty in controlling the spread of Zika in Miami Beach due to the number of residents and visitors.
Unlike nearby Wynwood, the area cannot be sprayed from the air because of the high rise buildings and coastal winds.
Still, Mayor Philip Levine says the fight against Zijka is running smoothly and he doesn’t foresee a long term impact on the city’s booming tourism industry.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026