The Zika virus is now being transmitted locally in Pinellas County.
On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott appeared in Clearwater to make the announcement at a Zika roundtable meeting.
The Pinellas case was one of five new non-travel related cases of Zika. The other four cases were in the impacted section of Wynwood in downtown Miami.
The Florida Department of Health is going door-to-door in Pinellas County sampling mosquitoes. Mosquito abatement and reduction activities are also underway.
The DOH still believes active transmission is still only occurring in small areas of Wynwood and Miami Beach.
An investigation of the Pinellas County Zika case is ongoing.
The total number of local transmissions of Zika in Florida is 42.
On Monday, the governor announced the state would give an additional $5 million to Miami-Dade County to fight the virus.
In spite of the news, the governor remained hopeful regarding controlling the virus.
The governor has already allocated $26 million in state funding to fight the virus, which is generally harmless but poses a significant risks for pregnant women. Fetuses of pregnant women infected with the virus can suffer significant birth defects. Florida has attempted to fight the virus in the midst of a lengthy battle between President Barack Obama and Democrat and Republican legislators in Washington.
The president initially proposed nearly $2 million in a Zika funding package but his plan was rejected by Republicans. Congress engaged in a back-and-forth over how to create a Zika preparedness package but did not reach an agreement before leaving for recess.
“In Pinellas County, the Department of Health and Pinellas County Mosquito Control are already working together and have begun aggressive spraying and mosquito abatement efforts," he said.
Scott encouraged any pregnant women who wanted a Zika test to contact the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County.
"We remain fully committed to ensuring that every county has all of the resources they need to combat this virus and stand ready to assist residents and visitors in the impacted communities," Scott said.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
