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Local Leaders Take On Zika Fight As Crews Spray Miami Beach

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Early Wednesday morning, Miami-Dade Mosquito Control crews were busy at it again on Miami Beach, hitting dozens of neighborhoods with pesticide and removing standing water.

"I think it's great, I think it's important for everyone's safety. Especially all these pregnant women," said Miami Beach resident Alejandro O'Sullivan, near 17th Street and Jefferson Avenue. "I don't spend a whole lotta time outside as it is. But I am more conscious of it and I'm at least versed on the symptoms. And as a nurse, my friends always ask me whenever something like this happens. So, I'm aware. I'm educating the public. But this is probably the more effective thing to do."

The Zika virus crossed the causeway from Wynwood, infecting five people on the island.

The impact zone on Miami Beach goes from 8th Street to 28th Street, from the beach on the east side of the island to the bay on the west.

The Department of Health knocked on doors informing people of the Zika risk, passing out kits and even collecting urine samples.

"I was just wondering when they were coming by," said Jen Cheek who lives on the beach, "because we got a flyer on our door that they were going to be here, and I just had a couple of questions.

She really didn't get her questions answered, and neither did reporters Wednesday night.

Media outlets were forwarded an email invitation from the health department to meet some of their workers.

When CBS4 arrived, those health workers were shocked to see us and said they couldn't speak with us.

But before we could get an explanation on that mix-up, we end up getting dueling press releases.

First up, Gov. Rick Scott. He said, in part, he's "Requested that the CDC provide Florida with 5,000 Zika antibody tests, but they have only sent less than 1,200," which he calls "unacceptable."

The CDC turned around and essentially said that's not true. They said they sent what the state told them to send 2,000 lab tests.

They go on to announce, in part, "Another shipment expected to arrive on Thursday, August 25. This gives Florida the ability to conduct 6,300 Zika antibody tests."

While the state and the feds go back and forth, there's real concern on Miami Beach.

"I have friends down here one of whom has a sister who's pregnant who's leaving town," Betsy Perry said. "I think what's really hard is that a lot of pregnant women don't have an escape plan."

Meanwhile, in Wynwood, the original Zika-zone map shrinks once again.

Business owners got some good news at a meeting Wednesday after it appeared there were four new locally transmitted cases attached to the area.

"The news yesterday was a little confusion to say the least and we want to clarify. You do not have four new cases of Zika virus in the community," said Lillian Rivera. "These folks were diagnosed in July – their case was in the pipeline."

The four cases, however classified, bump the locally-transmitted total up to 43.

The group, which has seen business take a hit due to the Zika scare, is not happy with the state's reporting of the Zika numbers.

"I think unhappy might be an understatement. I am furious," Joseph Furest said.

Chalmers Vazquez says Miami-Dade Mosquito Control teams collect traps each day to monitor the mosquito population and take samples for virus screening.

"We've been doing many, many inspections and we remain in the area. We will continue to be in the area trapping for mosquitoes and doing inspections," he said.

With new cases now reported on Miami Beach, Vazquez says his crews will be here now for a while, as they have been in Wynwood.

But he points out his crews can't fight Zika alone – with the public being the first line of defense.

"We are sweeping the area, doing domestic inspections, going from door to door, eliminating mosquito breeding and spraying wherever possible," he said. "They need to come out of the house and look around in the backyard and eliminate any standing water. That's the most important thing they can do for us."

The CDC has announced it has awarded nearly $7 million to partners like the American Public Health Association and the March of Dimes to help in the fight against Zika.

On Wednesday, Planned Parenthood announced a six-week initiative to educate local communities on how to prevent the spread of the virus through sexual contact or mosquitoes.

Zika 101: Prevent Spread By Protecting Yourself

The organization says they will especially aim to educate women who are medically underserved and of reproductive age.

Click here for more information on the Zika virus or here for more Zika-related stories.

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