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U.S. reports 4 more homegrown Zika cases in Flordia

Xinhua, August 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

The U.S. state of Florida has identified four new Zika cases who likely contracted the virus through a mosquito bite locally, bringing the total number there to 21, the state's Governor Rick Scott said Tuesday.

So far, Florida is the only U.S. state that has reported homegrown Zika transmission by mosquitoes.

Scott said that active transmissions were only taking place within a less than one-square-mile (2.6-square-kilometer) area just north of downtown Miami, known as Wynwood.

Scott criticized the U.S. federal government for failing to fulfill the state's requests such as an additional 10,000 Zika prevention kits for pregnant women.

"The federal government must stop playing politics and Congress needs to immediately come back to session to resolve this," he said in a statement.

"This is not only an issue affecting us here in Florida -- this is a national issue. Florida is just at the head of it with the first cases of local transmission of Zika," said Scott.

U.S. President Barack Obama has requested 1.9 billion dollars to combat Zika, but members of Congress left for a seven-week recess in mid-July without approving any Zika-fighting funds. Endit