Zika prompts officials to alert residents to 'tip, toss, cover up'

Florida Gov. Rick Scott tours state, holds forums

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Gov. Rick Scott continues to tour the state, hosting forums to inform residents about the Zika virus.

More than 40 people have contracted the illness in Florida, with the majority having occurred in Miami-Dade County.

Zika causes a mild illness in most people, but can lead to severe brain-related birth defects if women are infected during pregnancy.

At a roundtable discussion Friday, Scott urged people to take care of standing water on their property.

"I think everybody involved would recognize that where we're seeing mosquitoes, we're seeing standing water. There's a direct correlation," Scott said. "If everybody in the state can focus on getting rid of the standing water, then we're going to do well."

Meanwhile, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs will take the message of Zika prevention to the radio waves.

Jacobs will soon begin giving Zika-prevention advice via radio spots aimed at slowing the spread of the dangerous virus, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The mayor will urge listeners to "tip, toss and cover up," a phrase commonly used in regards to getting rid of standing water outside of homes, discarding small containers that cause pool water which breeds mosquitoes and wearing protective clothing and repellent.

Orange County has investigated 448 suspected Zika cases and 61 have been confirmed, but all have been "travel-associated," meaning the victims were infected outside of the area. None have been traced to mosquitoes in the Orlando area.

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