Four individuals in Miami-Dade and Broward counties have been infected with the Zika virus by local mosquitoes, Florida health officials said Friday.
These are the first known cases of the virus being transmitted by mosquitoes in the continental United States. The unidentified individuals had not traveled to a Zika-affected area, had not had sexual contact with someone who had traveled to a place where the virus is circulating and had no other known exposure to the virus.
U.S. health officials and experts have warned to expect local transmission of the virus from mosquitoes, but don’t expect widespread transmission, as has been seen in Puerto Rico and throughout the Americas. More than 60 countries and territories are currently reporting local transmission of the virus.
