New Zika Transmission Area Develops in Miami-Dade County

HealthDay News—A new active Zika transmission zone was declared last Thursday by Florida health officials.

The new area is roughly 3 miles north of Wynwood in Miami, where the first local outbreak of Zika occurred. Five people—2 women and 3 men—have been infected so far, according to the Florida Department of Health. Three are local residents, while the other 2 visited or worked there.

Florida now has 3 areas where Zika has been spread locally, although Wynwood is no longer considered an active transmission zone. A section of Miami Beach is the third Zika area.

“We have had more than 1000 cases of Zika in our state, and Miami-Dade County continues to be the only area with ongoing active transmissions,” Governor Rick Scott said in a statement. In response to the latest setback in Florida, officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that pregnant women should avoid traveling to the new Zika zone, and they should consider postponing non-essential travel to the rest of Miami-Dade County.

Reference

Gov. Scott: Small area of local transmission in Miami—need federal funding now [news release]. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Health. Published October 13, 2016. Accessed October 17, 2016.