MIAMI (AP) — Despite confirmation of Zika transmission by mosquitoes in two areas of Miami-Dade County, local officials and business leaders are confident South Florida will retain its status as a world-class tourist destination.

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine said during a news conference Friday afternoon that the Zika reports certainly aren't ideal for tourism, but he expects the long-term impact to be relatively minor. He said city workers are trying to get rid of standing water and foliage that might attract the virus-spreading insects, while the county begins a fumigation program to kill the bugs.

"Between our efforts and the county's spraying efforts, the last thing I'd ever want to be on Miami Beach is a mosquito," Levine said.

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