The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted an unprecedented travel warning, urging pregnant women and their partners to stay clear of a small area north of Miami.
According to CDC spokesman Tom Skinner this is the first ever advisory of its kind warning people to stay away from a designated area on US soil due to an infectious disease.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott and CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden both issued statements confirming locally transmitted infections in the Wynwood neighborhood north of downtown.
So far 14 people have been diagnosed.
"New test measurements over the weekend showed a risk of continued active transmission in that area," Frieden said.
"Because of this finding, we are advising pregnant women not to travel to that area and if they have traveled there on or after June 15 to visit their health care provider for testing."
"With 40 million travelers to and from areas where Zika is actively circulating, many can come back who feel perfectly fine but the virus could be hitchhiking in their blood. That’s why everyone who travels to one of those areas should use insect repellent for at least three weeks after they return," Frieden added.
Gov Scott said CDC’s emergency response team will assist local health teams in the area.
"Their team will consist of public health experts whose role is to augment our response efforts to confirmed local transmissions of the Zika virus."
Frieden said on the ground testing will likely continue for several weeks and all residents and people travelling to the Zika ‘active zone’ should take necessary precautions including applying insect repellent liberally, using air conditioning and screens on doors.
"This is a really tough mosquito to control."
