Latest news with #TripleE
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida mosquito season raises public health concerns over rise in illnesses
The Brief Officials warn of increased risk of dengue and EEE as mosquito season begins. The public are urged to eliminate standing water and stay informed via health resources. Travel and the climate could fuel unpredictable outbreaks across the state. ORLANDO, Fla. ( - As Florida heads into the warmer months, mosquito control officials are warning of an active season ahead, with the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and dengue on the rise. What we know As Florida heads into the summer months, mosquito control officials are warning of a potentially dangerous season ahead, marked by rising cases of mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Polk County's Mosquito Control Director Jackson Mosley reports a record 85 locally acquired dengue cases in Florida last year — the highest ever recorded. While EEE is rarer, it carries a high mortality rate and presents flu-like symptoms that can linger. What we don't know Officials are unable to predict the full scope of this year's mosquito activity. Factors like unpredictable weather and international travel patterns complicate forecasting efforts. It remains uncertain whether preventive measures will be enough to suppress future outbreaks. The backstory Dengue was once mostly associated with international travel, but recent trends show a concerning rise in local transmission within Florida. As more residents and visitors carry the virus unknowingly, infected mosquitoes can continue the cycle of transmission at home. EEE, while less common, has long been present in the region due to Florida's warm, humid climate and abundant bird and mosquito populations. Big picture view Florida's unique climate makes it a hotspot for mosquito activity nearly year-round. With small containers of standing water offering ideal breeding grounds, health officials say local participation is essential in managing the threat. Education, community outreach, and weekly yard inspections are emphasized as key prevention tools. What they're saying As the weather heats up, a lot of us are looking to spend more and more time outdoors. Florida mosquito control officials are warning of a very busy season with mosquito-borne illnesses on the rise once again. Joining us now is Polk County's Director of Mosquito Control, Mr. Jackson Mosley. What is Eastern Equine Encephalitis? "EEE is Eastern Equine Encephalitis. So that's a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes to people. It's actually a bird mosquito cycle. So birds and mosquitoes keep their cycle going between themselves. And, every now and then, you have a mosquito that would bite a bird and then bite a person. And that's the risk that comes when, you know, of contracting a triple E. Triple E is actually one of those diseases that has a really high mortality rate," Mosley explained. What are the symptoms of Eastern Equine Encephalitis? "Symptoms can be very fluish-like symptoms that go, that are extended, you know, for a little longer than normal. So it's, you know the headaches, the muscle aches," Mosley added. How does one help prevent mosquito-bourne illnesses? "We should start by not having excessive water containers around our homes. They make very good use of buckets, flower pots that have a flower dish that holds water, tires of all things. Believe it or not, we do find those," said Mosley. "Rain barrels, anything that could hold water is a risk for Aedes aegypti as well as some other mosquito species. So we have to learn to toss those things, tip them, and inspect our yard once a week." What kind of season can we expect? "Some years we've seen it rise, and then it drops, so it's really difficult to predict. Weather can play a big role, but also we have travel cases. We have people who travel to vacation in places where dengue is endemic or naturally occurring. So they come back home and if they're not aware that they are ill with dengue because most of the people are asymptomatic. So sometimes they don't even know they have it. And then they can start a potential problem that way." How can people learn more about mosquito safety? "There's some great resources out there. Certainly, the Florida Department of Health has a great website that will guide you through all of the best ways, best practices for dealing with mosquitoes, being safe. Also the CDC provides an excellent resource as well." STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health, and Jackson Mosley, Director of Mosquito Control in Polk County.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Second Senate panel needs more time to assess Blueprint measure
Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) summarizes proposed amendments to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future during Monday's hearing of the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) The clock may be ticking on a plan to reform Maryland's sweeping education reform plan, but the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee will not be rushed. The so-called 'Triple E' committee held a nearly two-hour work session Monday when it entertained a series of amendments on policy portions of the 'Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act,' those dealing with various state and local school system initiatives and teacher programs. Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), chair of the committee, said the goal is to possibly vote on the Senate version of the bill Tuesday, but the committee must first weigh several amendments that were presented Monday. The deliberation comes after the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on Friday voted on the financial elements of the bill in a meeting that lasted about a half hour. Amendments put forward Monday include a 17-page proposal offered by Sen. Karen Lewis Young (D-Frederick), a member of the Budget and Taxation Committee, whose amendment mirrored a Blueprint bill she sponsored earlier this year. That bill was heard by Triple E but was not voted on as a standalone measure. Part of it comes from a proposal released in December by the Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland. Senate panel's vote on Blueprint bill straddles House, administration versions Another amendment offered Monday would include 3- and 4-year-old prekindergarten students who are diagnosed with a disability or who are 'from a home in which English is not the primary spoken language' among Tier 1 students, who receive core instruction. Another would clarify that an assistant principal or principal would not count as a teacher for purposes of the career ladder in the Blueprint. Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore), who serves on the committee, submitted another proposal, similar to Lewis Young's, to reduce pay bumps that teachers would receive for earning National Board Certifications, which have to be renewed every five years. The Blueprint law would give a teacher $8,000 for the first certification, another $7,000 for the second certification and $6,000 for a third. The amendment proposed Monday would cut those amounts to $4,000 for the first and second certifications and $3,000 on the third. Carozza offered two additional amendments: To allow school systems to request a waiver of the rule that requires all teachers start with a $60,000 salary as of July 1, 2026; and to establish a stakeholder work group to conduct a two-part assessment on Blueprint funding modifications and to analyze overall public school funding on items such as special education, transportation and employee benefits. 'My concern from the start was we need to pull in the local school superintendents, the boards of education, the counties. Because in the end, they have to implement this,' Carozza said after the committee meeting. 'We can't pass all these costs on to the counties and the local school systems.' The Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Education Act was proposed by Gov. Wes Moore to delay or reduce some of the expansions of school programs that were scheduled in the Blueprint, the state's 10-year, multibillion-dollar reform plan that is now in its third year. The Moore changes were made in the face of the state's projected $3 billion budget deficit for fiscal 2026, and the ongoing complaints from some local school boards that they needed more flexibility in how and how quickly the plan is implemented. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The House on March 11 adopted a version of the plan that rejected many of the governor's changes and hewed more closely to the original Blueprint plan, particularly its proposed delay in 'collaborative time' — giving teachers more time out of the classroom — and community schools, which are located in low-income neighborhoods. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on Friday agreed with some of the House version and some of the proposals laid out by the governor, insisting on community school funding but allowing for a delay in the start of collaborative time. Whatever the Senate passes, Feldman said it will likely have to go to a conference committee with House members, who has passed a slightly different version of the bill. All of that would have to be accomplished with less than two weeks left in the legislative session, which is scheduled to end on April 7.
