Florida Zika Virus Cases: Toll Tops 100

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The total number of confirmed Zika virus cases in the state of Florida has reached 102.

According to the Florida Department of Health’s daily update, there were three new cases confirmed statewide on Tuesday. The cases involved a patient in Palm Beach County and another in Miami-Dade County. The state also confirmed a case of Zika virus in a pregnant woman on Tuesday.

The total number of pregnant women affected by the virus to date in the Sunshine State now sits at seven. The state does not release the names of counties in which affected pregnant women live.

In the Tampa Bay area, three counties have witnessed confirmed Zika virus cases so far. Hillsborough and Polk counties both have three confirmed cases each. Pasco County’s first reported case was noted by the state last week.

Of the confirmed cases in Florida, all remain travel-related, and only three patients are still exhibiting symptoms, the state reported Tuesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that the virus is responsible for causing severe defects in unborn children, including microcephaly, which leaves babies with abnormally small heads and often with brains that do not develop properly.

See Also:

• Zika Virus Causes Severe Brain Defects, CDC Confirms
• Zika Virus Information Floridians Need To Know

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. According to the state, only about one out of five people infected with Zika are symptomatic. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization.

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes. One of the confirmed cases in Polk County originated through sexual contact, the state of Florida reported. The patient in the case contracted the virus while traveling outside of the country.

While Florida’s cases to date have originated through foreign travel, the state urges residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline. That number is 1-855-622-6735. The hotline has fielded more than 1,598 calls since it was launched Feb. 12, the state reported.

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