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Florida Department of Agriculture says no Zika found in Florida mosquitoes so far

Posted at 6:37 PM, Apr 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-28 19:15:03-04

No news is good news as far as Chris Reisinger with Mosquito Control is concerned. 

The Florida Department of Agriculture is now reporting none of the mosquitoes it has tested so far in 2017 have tested positive for Zika.

The department says 90,000 individual mosquitoes have been tested. 

It means Palm Beach County is Zika free - for now. 
 
It’s a far cry from a year ago. 
 
“The numbers are way low, the Zika cases,” Reisinger says. “I think we have two this year. Whereas this time last year we had dozens and dozens.”
 
The virus put many in Lake Worth on edge in 2016.  
 
A 24-year-old woman was among those who came down with a locally acquired case of Zika. 
 
We caught up with her to see how she's doing, and she tells us she's Zika free. 
 
She also says, ”I have been sicker than I have been in the past."
 
She says she's tried getting answers from health officials on her prognosis, but describes the experience as "negative"
 
When asked about the state's reaction to the fighting the virus, she says "I feel as if they don't take it seriously.”
 
Reisinger says mosquito control is taking it seriously. 
 
A recent grant is helping them get new gear,  new traps, powerful microscopes, and several new thermal foggers. 
 
“We purchased a lot of new equipment, a lot of chemicals. Then, through the county we were able to hire two more employees," Reisinger says. 
 
They are armed and ready - in case Zika decides to take aim at Palm Beach County once again.