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August 11, 2016 at 09:36 AM
The Florida Department of Health has discovered three more human Zika infections that were caused by mosquitoes living in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, officials said today.
The announcement brings the total number of known, locally acquired cases of Zika infection in Miami to 25, up from none on July 31.
Puerto Rico had 5,460 locally acquired cases of Zika as of Aug. 4, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Wynwood neighborhood in Miami has the only known locally acquired Zika infections in the United States.
Public health officials say that the Zika virus clearly can lead to small head size, or microcephaly, in developing babies, and also appears to lead to Guillain Barre Syndrome. Guillain Barre Syndrome is a rare condition, related to a patient’s recovery from a viral infection, that can lead to temporary paralysis, permanent paralysis and, in some cases, death.
Related: Florida shudders as Zika spread forces Miami shops to close
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, said that the Florida Department of Health has worked to clear 10 blocks in the neighborhood of mosquitoes last week, and four more blocks this week. The department believes no local transmission of Zika is occurring the cleared blocks, Scott said in a statement.
“This means the area where we believe active transmissions are occurring in the state is significantly reducing,” Scott said.
