Miami Beach officials and business owners hope Zika won’t scare away Halloween crowds.
The Lincoln Road pedestrian mall attracts hundreds of people wearing elaborate costumes. The outdoor shopping area in South Beach falls within one of two active Zika transmission zones in Miami-Dade County.
City spokeswoman Melissa Berthier told the Miami Herald that bottles of mosquito repellent will be offered Monday on Lincoln Road.
Berthier says the city also is draining standing water where mosquitoes could breed.
Police also distributed repellent wipes to stores and restaurants. Nexxt Cafe owner Cem Onur said he'll keep those wipes by his doors on Halloween, his busiest night of the year.
City Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said she'll spray herself and her 13-year-old daughter with repellent before going trick-or-treating.
