On Friday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) announced the end of active local Zika transmission in the last remaining zone designated for mosquito-borne Zika in the state. The announcement was made during a press conference in Miami's South Beach where mosquito-borne Zika transmission was identified in August, according to the Miami Herald.
The lift comes four months after officials first detected local Zika transmission in the of Miami neighborhood of Wynwood in July. According to the Florida Department of Health, there have been 249 locally acquired cases of Zika in the state since homegrown transmission was first detected.
While no areas of Miami-Dade County are considered zones of active local Zika transmission (red areas), the whole county is still considered a cautionary zone (yellow area). The change in designation removes the CDC's travel guidance discouraging pregnant women and couples planning to start a family in the near future from traveling to red areas. However, travel postponement is still recommended for pregnant women considering travel to yellow areas.
During the press conference, Florida Surgeon General Celeste Philip, MD, cautioned Miami-Dade residents to continue to wear mosquito repellant and eliminate standing water as Zika could again infiltrate the mosquito population via individuals infected with the virus elsewhere.
Officials have acknowledged that when mosquito season returns in 2017, so could Zika.
On Nov. 28, Texas health officials reported the state's first case of Zika likely acquire via a local mosquito.
More articles on the Zika virus:
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Researchers detect Zika-related microcephaly in infants months after birth
New mouse model shows how Zika infection affects the postnatal brain