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Miami city now free of Zika

Tuesday, 6 December 20163 min read

Health officials say Miami is now free of locally transmitted Zika after giving the all-clear to another neighbourhood.

The Little River area of Miami is free of active Zika transmission as no new cases have been reported in the last 45 days, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Little River was the last area in Miami to have recorded locally transmitted Zika.

That makes the city of Miami Zika-free but residents have been warned not to drop their guard.

"I am proud to announce that the Little River area has been cleared of any ongoing active transmission of the Zika virus. It is crucial that everyone remains vigilant and continues to do their part to wear bug spray and dump standing water so we can keep these areas clear, especially for pregnant women and their developing babies," said Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

Part of Miami Beach, which is a separate city, is still under a Zika alert.

There have been 244 cases of locally contracted Zika in Florida since the first case was discovered in the summer.

It is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito which is present in Florida and several other southern States.