MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami Beach has begun spraying for mosquitoes in their fight against the Zika virus, Tuesday.
A fleet of trucks began spraying in breeding areas, Tuesday morning.
“The mosquito count in the advisory zone has gone up and has not gone down,” said Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine. “It went down first and now has gone back up again, not necessarily mosquitoes that carry Zika, but in general, the mosquito count has gone up. Now, when you have an increase of mosquitoes, clearly you have a greater risk of that being spread.”
Miami Beach residents can also expect aerial spraying to begin Thursday morning, similar to the efforts being taken in Wynwood.
The sprays will happen at 5 a.m. for about 30 minutes.
Miami-Dade is one of the first counties in the nation using state-of-the-art equipment that includes an environmentally friendly, organic spray to reduce the mosquito population.
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden reopened its doors Tuesday after it was closed last week as officials inspected and treated the area for mosquitoes.
A $1.1 billion Zika funding package failed to pass the Senate, Tuesday. It’s the third time the measure has failed to garner 60 votes necessary to pass.
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