Florida Senators Push for Amendment That Would Fight Zika Virus

WESH 2'S MICHELLE MEREDITH LOOKS AT WHAT'S BEING DONE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO KEEP US SAFE FROM ZIKA. MICHELLE: THE ZIKA VIRUS HAS CREATED A HUGE HEALTH SCARE AROUND THE WORLD U.S., ESPECIALLY FLORIDA. >> WE NOW HAVE WELL OVER 100 CASES IN FLORIDA. MICHELLE: SO SENATORS BILL NELSON AND MARCO RUBIO HAVE JOINED FORCES IN AN EFFORT TO GET CONGRESS TO PASS A $1.9 BILLION AMENDMENT AIMED AT FIGHTING ZIKA. THE MONEY WOULD PROVIDE MORE EDUCATION, HELP CREATE VACCINE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND RESEARCH AIMED AT NEUTRALIZING THE MOSQUITO THAT TRANSMITS ZIKA, BUT NELSON SAYS IT'S A HARD SELL. BILL NELSON: A LOT OF STATES REPRESENTED BY THESE SENATORS ARE NOT REALLY MOSQUITO-PRONE. MICHELLE: MEANWHILE FOR COMPANIES LIKE MOSQUITO JOES, BUSINESS IS BOOMING. WHEN ZIKA HIT THE NEWS AND THEIR PHONES STARTED RINGING OFF THE WALL. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF PREGNANT WOMEN WE SPRAY FOR THAT ARE WORRIED ABOUT EVEN GOING TO AND FROM A CAR. MICHELLE: MOSQUITO JOES SAYS THEIR SERVICE IS AN ADDED DEFENSE AGAINST THE ZIKA VIRUS, AND ACCORDING TO ORANGE COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL, THAT IS TRUE. COMPANY. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IT BUT THE MOSQUITO THAT TRANSMITS ZIKA HAS BEEN IN FLORIDA FOR DECADES. >> IT'S KNOCKING DOWN THESE MOSQUITOES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CARRY ZIKA AMONG OTHER MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES. MICHELLE: AND POTENTIAL IS THE KEY WORD, BECAUSE EXPERTS SAY SO FAR IN FLORIDA, THE MOSQUITO CARRY THE ZIKA VIRUS DOES NOT