CDC expands range of Zika mosquitoes into parts of Northeast

ATLANTA (AP) - Federal health officials say the mosquitoes that can transmit the Zika virus may live in a broader swath of the U.S. than previously thought - but that doesn't mean they'll cause disease here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday posted new maps of the estimated range of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, and a related cousin, on its website. Instead of just being in the southern part of the country, the new maps say the range may extend into parts of the Midwest and as far north as parts of New York and Connecticut.

Previous maps were about a dozen years old. CDC officials describe the new ones as its best estimate, and include areas where the mosquitoes have been seen recently or previously.

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Online:

CDC maps: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/index.html