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Dade Officials Release Locations Where Mosquitoes Tested Positive For Zika

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) --- Miami-Dade officials have released the locations of where they found mosquitos with the Zika virus in Miami Beach.

Mosquitoes caught in five traps in the city tested positive for the virus starting last month but have since turned up negative.

"While we did have five traps that tested positive for Zika on dates ranging from August 22 to September 9, multiple subsequent tests have since been conducted, and all of those tests came back negative."

Related: 1st Case Of Locally-Acquired Dengue Reported In Miami-Dade County

According to officials when the tests came up positive for mosquitoes carrying the virus, mosquito control treated the respective properties and surrounding areas.

According to the county, the following sites had mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus on the corresponding dates:

  • 932 Lenox Avenue on August 22nd
  • 1619 Meridian Avenue on August 23rd
  • 2000 Convention Center Drive on August 23rd
  • 2378 Prairie Avenue on Sept. 4th
  • 1236 Drexel Avenue on Sept.9th
Traps Where Mosquitoes Tested Positive For Zika
Miami-Dade Mosquito control released the locations where mosquitoes tested positive for the Zika virus.

Miami-Dade Mosquito Control released the locations on Wednesday following a debate between Miami-Dade County officials and the Department of Health.

"The Department of Health instructed the County, on multiple occasions, to withhold information related to the exact location of the Zika-positive mosquito traps.  Now that the County has been granted permission – via an email from the Florida Surgeon General – to release this information, we are releasing the addresses.  This will be our protocol going forward," said Mayor Gimenez.

Governor Rick Scott's administration denied having told the county not to release the locations of the traps where Zika positive mosquitos were found, but in a September 1st news conference, the Florida Department of Health's Lillian Rivera made it clear the information was not going to be released to the media.

Mayor Gimenez on Wednesday said the state had "backtracked" on its earlier, adamant position.

On Miami Beach, some who live just yards from where the infected mosquitos were trapped were perturbed that release of the locations had been delayed so long.

"Of course, I wanted to know," said Diana Carlson who lives across the street from where a "batch" of infected mosquitos was trapped on Lenox Avenue.

Rafael Mustelier's house backs up to the yard of another building where infected mosquitos were trapped.

"That's not good, because you have to inform the population what's going on about Zika," Mustelier said in criticizing the delayed release of information.

The delay contradicts Governor Scott who has said repeatedly since the Zika crisis began that the public would receive information "in a timely, accurate" manner.

The mayor reminded the community to do their part in avoiding the spread of the virus that has been linked to severe birth defects.

"We continue to remind residents how important it is to continue to 'Drain and Cover' to reduce the population of mosquitoes and the spread of diseases in the county," said Mayor Gimenez.

Zika 101: Prevent Spread By Protecting Yourself

As of Wednesday, there were 109 non-travel related cases in Florida and 693 travel-related cases. Of those cases, 91 pregnant women have been infected.

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

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