MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida health officials have trapped mosquitoes in an area of Miami-Dade County and are testing them for Zika to confirm whether a woman with the virus could be the first person infected directly by a mosquito bite in the continental United States.
Florida's Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not immediately respond to questions about their investigation, but health officials said the case had no apparent connection to travel outside the country.
The patient is a woman who lives in Miami-Dade County. That's according to a health official familiar with the case who wasn't authorized to reveal details beyond the statements of the agencies involved, and thus spoke on condition of anonymity.
As of Wednesday, there have been 284 Zika cases reported in Florida that are not travel related and do not involve pregnant women. There are 43 pregnant women who have contracted the virus. None have contracted the virus locally.
According to the CDC, the Zika virus typically causes a mild rash, fever and joint pain. Only one in five people infected with the virus are symptomatic.
The CDC says that Zika symptoms last between seven and 10 days.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. John Armstrong urges Floridians to drain standing water weekly, no matter how seemingly small. He said just a couple of drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
People are also urged to wear bug repellent when outdoors.
