First U.S. Case Of Mosquitoes With Zika Found In Miami Beach
Modified Sep 1, 2016
Wikicommons
For the first time ever, mosquitoes in the United States have been captured and tested positive for Zika, according to the Associated Press.
Florida officials said three mosquitoes they captured in Miami Beach wound up testing positive for the disease, news that the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture called "disappointing, but not surprising." The finding confirmed the suspicion Florida officials had that the virus could spread from people to mosquitoes to people through bites. Sadly, the mosquitoes don't die when they pick up the virus from people.
Today's news comes a day after the NYC Health Department announced that more than 500 New Yorkers have been infected with the Zika virus, including 56 pregnant women.
It's not all bad Zika news today though. Japanese company Takeda Pharmacuetical has entered the vaccine-developing fray and hopes to begin testing their vaccine on humans in the second half of 2017, Reuters reports. This vaccine will use inactive Zika virus, as opposed to other vaccines currently being tested which rely on teaching the body to reject DNA associated with the virus.