The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported two additional locally transmitted Zika virus infections in Miami-Dade County– One is associated with the area in Miami-Beach. The other is associated with Wynwood and experienced symptoms in July.

This brings the total of non travel-associated Zika cases to 49.

Earlier today,  the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) confirmed that they have detected Zika in three mosquito samples in a small area of Miami Beach within the current zone of local transmission.

This prompted Florida Gov Rick Scott to make the following announcements:

“I have directed DOH to aggressively expand testing and outreach efforts in the areas around the traps that caught the positive mosquitoes. DOH has been on the ground since the first confirmed case of non-travel related Zika in Miami Beach, and they will continue to go door-to-door to educate residents on how to best protect their families and homes from mosquitoes. DBPR has also provided more than 700 hotels and restaurants in Miami Beach with educational materials on Zika prevention and preparedness as well as contact information to receive no cost mosquito spraying. While DOH has already been delivering helpful resources like bug spray and Zika prevention kits to pregnant women in the area, today I directed them to begin working with Florida international airports to voluntarily provide bug repellant for travelers returning from countries that are experiencing outbreaks of the Zika virus.

“The CDC has recommended aerial spraying on Miami Beach via helicopter, and we have seen the effectiveness of aerial spraying in the Wynwood area. DOH has made available resources to Miami-Dade County to immediately conduct aerial spraying in Miami Beach. I also directed DOH to work with the commercial pest control companies they have already sent to the Miami Beach area to further increase spraying and abatement efforts.

“While DACS will continue to work with local mosquito control to spray for mosquitoes, everyone must do their part by wearing bug repellent and dumping standing water- no matter how small. These efforts helped us clear almost the entire perimeter of the original zone in Wynwood where we now have 76 total blocks with no evidence of ongoing active transmission. We have also gone almost 30 days since the last case of Zika infection in the remaining Wynwood area, which is great news. The Wynwood community has done an incredible job of working together to prevent the spread of this virus and serves as an example of how important it is to be proactive and dump standing water, especially as our state is preparing for Hurricane Hermine. We must all continue to stay vigilant in the fight against the Zika virus so we can keep Florida’s communities, families and visitors safe.”