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Nelson Calls On Congress To Approve More Zika Funding As Another Local Case Is Confirmed In Miami

Sen. Bill Nelson meets with elected officials in Miami to call on Congress to fund Zika research and prevention.
Amanda Rabines
Sen. Bill Nelson meets with elected officials in Miami to call on Congress to fund Zika research and prevention.

Elected officials and city representatives gathered on Friday at Miami-Dade’s Emergency Management Center to support Florida Sen. Bill Nelson in his request for Congress to increase funding to fight Zika.

Sen. Nelson called the need for aZikavaccine "urgent and necessary."

“Trying to get that message across to these other senators and House members that are in other parts in the country, it’s out of sight out of mind for them,” said Nelson. 

He says he’s looking into the likely possibility that there are more cases of Zika unreported in Florida.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there are close to 400 cases in Florida and nearly 7,300 in the 50 states and the U.S. territories.

On the same day, the Florida Department of Health confirmed that another locally-acquired case was found in the Wynwood area, bringing the total number to 16.

The mayor of Miami, Tomás Regalado, said Wynwood has been avoided ever since the CDC issued a Zika-related travel warning for pregnant women.

“I think the media and the authorities have singled out Wynwood as ‘Ground Zero’ throughout the United States for Zika, and I believe that is not the case,” said Regalado.

Regalado stresses Zika could be in many different cities by now.

He asked Nelson to consider the economic costs of Zika when the senator asks Congress to raise funding for Zika and prevention.

“Wynwood is an investment of more than a billion dollars,” said Regalado. “Well, guess what? We’re going to lose hundreds of jobs because the damage has been done.” 

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Amanda Rabines is a senior at Florida International University pursuing a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Media. She is expecting to graduate in Fall 2016 but her curious nature makes her an eternal student at heart. In 2013, she spent a year volunteering every Wednesday at Radio Lollipop, a radio station at Miami Children’s Hospital, where she helped broadcast shows, create events and design crafts for children while simultaneously interacting with patients and families. The experience taught her how to talk to family members who were going through tough medical circumstances. That was the year Amanda had to learn how to be a great listener and emotionally stronger, two traits she now carries as an aspiring journalist. Amanda was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and is a strong activist for feminism. Some women who inspire her include leaders like Maya Angelou and her mother, a dental hygienist for Sunset Dentistry, who came to Miami from Cuba when she was 11 years old. Her mother endured leaving her home country, and has worked since she was 15. It’s because of her that Amanda believes in hard work and the power of Cuban coffee. Amanda has written content, shot photos and has produced videos that have been published in the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel.