Miami Now Free of Locally Transmitted Zika Virus, CDC Says

— -- Florida health officials have announced continued progress in the fight against the Zika virus after a Miami neighborhood was declared free of ongoing Zika transmission today.

The Little River area of Miami is now free of active Zika transmission after no new cases were reported in the last 45 days, officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today.

It was the last area in Miami to have ongoing locally transmitted Zika virus.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott called the announcement "great news" but warned residents to remain "vigilant" about the possible return of the virus.

"I am proud to announce that the Little River area has been cleared of any ongoing active transmission of the Zika virus," he said in a statement today. "It is crucial that everyone remains vigilant and continues to do their part to wear bug spray and dump standing water so we can keep these areas clear, especially for pregnant women and their developing babies."

However, the Zika outbreak is not yet over in Florida, since the South Beach area of Miami Beach, a city separate from Miami, is still monitoring for local Zika transmission.

Florida has been grappling with the Zika outbreak centered in southern Florida since July of this year. There have been 244 cases of locally acquired Zika virus reported in Florida since the outbreak began.

The Zika virus is primarily spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It mainly causes mild symptoms in adults. But when a pregnant woman is infected, it is associated with an increased risk of birth defects, including microcephaly, characterized by an abnormally small head or brain. It can result in diminished mental capacity or other developmental delays.