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Florida expands Miami Beach Zika transmission zone, lifts warnings in Wynwood
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The area of local Zika transmission in Miami Beach, Florida, has been expanded after the state’s department of health confirmed five nontravel-related cases outside of the previous warning zone, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday.
Despite this, CDC relaxed its guidance for persons living in or traveling to a 1 square-mile area in Wynwood, just north of downtown Miami, where no new cases have been reported since early August. Scott said today that the transmission zone in Wynwood has been lifted.
“We’ve reached this point because of the tremendous progress with mosquito control in the affected area, including the combination of aerial application of the larvicide Bti and the adulticide Naled, and rigorous investigation of possible Zika infections by Florida health officials,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “Still, we encourage people not to let down their guard. We could see additional cases.”
Investigation reveals five cases in new zone
Thomas R. Frieden
Miami Beach’s new area of active transmission reaches from 8th Street to 63rd Street and expands the impacted area from approximately 1.5 square miles to 4.5 square miles, according to the governor’s statement. The decision was made after the investigation of five new cases — two male and three female — which concluded that each was acquired locally.
Mosquito control already has been conducted within this zone, according to the statement, and will continue to be conducted by the Miami-Dade Mosquito Control District. Scott also announced his authorization of an additional $10 million in state funds for Zika control, and called upon President Barrack Obama, the CDC and Congress to provide additional support.
“I know many members of Florida’s congressional delegation are fighting for Zika funding and it is critically important that members come to Miami and hear directly from those who are on the front lines of battling this virus,” he said in the release.
“Everything we are doing to combat this virus is to protect pregnant women. As a father and a grandfather, I cannot imagine the challenges a child would have being born with microcephaly.”
Transmission ends in Wynwood
After 45 days with no evidence of active Zika transmission, Florida’s Department of Health lifted the local transmission zone in Wynwood today, and the CDC has updated its guidance for residents and visitors in the area. The Wynwood transmission area was the first in the continental U.S. to report local transmission.
“Over the past few weeks, Floridians have worked together to prevent the spread of mosquitoes, take proper precautions to protect one another, and support local businesses in Wynwood,” Scott said. “We saw the success of this hard work each time we announced a reduction of the zone in Wynwood, and we see it clearly today now that the entire Wynwood zone has been lifted.”
CDC is no longer advising pregnant women to avoid travel to the former transmission zone, but still advised precautions to avoid mosquito bites, delay plans to become pregnant for at least 8 weeks, and avoid potential sexual transmission. In addition, Scott has announced an upcoming event to support local Wynwood businesses and restaurants affected by Zika virus.
“We must also all do our part to remain vigilant and keep the Wynwood zone lifted,” he said. “Everyone must continue to take precautions by dumping standing water and wearing bug spray so we can protect pregnant women who are most at-risk for the Zika virus.”
As of today, Scott said, there have been more than 93 locally acquired Zika cases in Florida. Thirty-five of these cases are associated with the expanded transmission area in Miami Beach. – by Dave Muoio