CDC Removes Zika Travel Warning From Northern Part Of Miami Beach

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) ― Florida officials removed part of Miami Beach from an active Zika transmission zone on Tuesday, saying more than 45 days had passed since the last local case of the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect. Popular areas in the southern part of the seaside tourist destination, however, remain in a designated zone of active Zika transmission. The area of active transmission in Miami Beach is now about 1.5 square miles (2.4 km). The newly cleared area covers about three square miles, Florida Governor Rick Scott said in a statement. State officials believe Zika is still being transmitted in another small area of Miami-Dade County, in addition to the remaining section of Miami Beach. Mosquitoes began spreading the virus this summer in Florida, bringing local Zika transmission to the continental United States. “Until we have a vaccine, this is going to be something we’re going to deal with,” Scott said at a news conference in Miami Beach. “We’re going to be active, and we’ve learned a lot,” he added. On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as of Nov. 16 there were 4,255 cases of Zika reported in the continental United States and Hawaii. Of the total reported Zika cases, 35 are believed to be through sexual transmission and one case from lab exposure. Florida on Tuesday separately said it has seen 1,201 cases of Zika, and 236 of them were ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news