Florida senator demands President, Congress act on Zika virus

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is demanding President Obama and Congress act to prevent the spread of the Zika virus. This comes as South Florida counties scramble to prevent an outbreak.

"It’s inexcusable that the president of the United States of this administration is sitting on over $300 million that were repurposed from Ebola to Zika that remain unspent," Rubio said.

Rubio renewed his push to redirect $350 million from Ebola response funding to efforts to deal with the Zika virus.

"I may be the only member of Congress who has voted in favor of every single Zika funding proposal because for me this is not about politics it really has never been it's about public safety," Rubio said.

The only area in the state considered an active Zika zone is 1 square mile north of downtown Miami in the Wynwood district.

Rubis said small businesses have reportedly decided to close until further notice because of the outdoor cafes.

But a new infection in Miami-Dade County outside the Miami neighborhood is leading health officials to believe mosquitoes are spreading the virus beyond that initial area.

“Zika can only spread when a mosquito bites someone who’s infected and then about a week later that mosquito becomes infectious and bites other people,” Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said.

South Florida counties continue to spray insecticide, but health officials say aerial spraying is not as effective at eliminating the mosquitoes carrying the virus because it tends to live and breed near covered structures.

“We’re not seeing the number of mosquitoes coming down as rapidly as we would like. It could be because they’re resistant to the insecticide being used or that there’s still standing water that they’re breeding in,” Frieden said.

The CDC is encouraging that all pregnant women avoid traveling to the Wynwood district in Miami.  And for people living in this area, the CDC urges people to take steps to prevent mosquito bites.

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