Miami

U.S. Surgeon General Visits Wynwood Clinic, Addresses Zika Concerns With Residents

3 new non-travel related Zika cases in Miami-Dade

The concerns over Zika and the continued spread of the disease throughout South Florida were front and center at a meeting with the U.S. Surgeon General in the Wynwood neighborhood Friday morning.

Dr. Vivek Murthy was joined by Florida’s Surgeon General, Dr. Celeste Philip, at the Borinquen Health Care Center, a clinic in the area north of Downtown Miami that has been dealing with patients suffering from the disease. The duo discussed Zika with people living in the area, including several pregnant woman.

The meeting came as three new non-travel related Zika cases were reported in Miami-Dade, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Two of the people were exposed in the less than one-square mile area in Wynwood. One case was outside that square mile, officials said.

Philip was also part of a conference call Thursday with Gov. Rick Scott, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart and others. Stewart told reporters and others that free mosquito repellent would be provided at all schools in South Florida, including colleges and universities.

Both Stewart and Scott went on to say that Zika preparedness guides are being prepared to distribute to students in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.

In Broward County, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to attend an event with South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz at Nova Southeastern University to discuss the response from federal and state governments to the outbreak.

Friday, Scott announced 57.4 million tourists visited the state during the first half of 2016. State officials say that's the highest six-month total ever and a 4.3 percent increase over the year.

Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing arm, estimates that the record number includes more than 49 million domestic visitors. The rest came to the state from Canada or other countries.

The new tourism numbers, however, do not reflect what's happened in the state over the last few weeks.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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