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State Officials Shrink ‘Zika Zone' While Three More Likely Non-Travel Cases Announced

Florida is reporting three more cases of Zika spread by Miami mosquitoes, but the governor says the infection zone is shrinking. 

According to a statement Thursday from Gov. Rick Scott's office, the state now has 25 known cases of Zika. But, active transmission is only happening in a 1-square-mile area encompassing Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.

The Florida Department of Health removed another corner of the famous art district in downtown Miami from the Zika travel warning area Thursday. Wynwood, hit hardest by the Zika outbreak in South Florida, shrunk its "Zika Zone" by four blocks near the southwest corner.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it will continue to monitor the entire area. 

Aerial spraying of pesticides targeting adult mosquitoes is scheduled Friday over Wynwood as well as surrounding areas, and tablets of larvae-eating bacteria are being dropped into storm drains throughout Miami-Dade County just in case.

“We are confident that our mosquito education, prevention and control efforts are working and hopeful that the impacted area will continue to be reduced as the DOH investigation continues,” Scott said in a press release.

The governor continued to press both the Obama administration and lawmakers to approve funding to fight Zika, saying “The president and Congress must work together to get to a solution for all the families across our nation.”

At the same time, Miami-Dade County announced they will expand their program of treating public and private storm drains in an effort to prevent breeding of mosquitoes. The county is currently using a time release produce that remains in the drainage systems for 30 days.

The county also will conduct a fifth round of aerial spraying Friday morning if the weather allows for it.

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