Florida officials: No Zika found in mosquito samples so far

Zika virus
Transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of Zika virus. Credit: Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Florida agriculture officials say no mosquitoes in the state have tested positive for the Zika virus so far this year.

A statement from the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says nearly 90,000 individual mosquitoes have been tested for the virus linked to severe birth defects. None of the mosquitoes from more than 6,500 samples have tested positive for the presence of Zika so far.

Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam has said as summer begins, it's important that Florida communities have the resources they need for Zika response efforts.

A Zika outbreak in Miami's Wynwood arts district last year was the first on the U.S. mainland. It lingered for more than a month but was limited to a small geographic area, much like previous outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses in Florida.

© 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citation: Florida officials: No Zika found in mosquito samples so far (2017, April 28) retrieved 23 April 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-04-florida-zika-mosquito-samples.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Florida officials: Aggressive efforts to stop Zika continue

6 shares

Feedback to editors