Florida Zika Virus Cases Up By 11 in 1 Day

Tampa Bay, FL – The total number of confirmed, travel-related Zika virus cases in the state of Florida climbed to 263 on Wednesday with 11 new instances reported. One of the new cases involves a Hillsborough County resident.

According to the Florida Department of Health, a total of 220 people across the state have tested positive for Zika virus so far this year. Another 43 cases involving pregnant women have been confirmed, as well. To date, all of the state’s confirmed cases are travel-related, meaning the people affected were exposed to the virus while visiting places outside of Florida.

The Tampa Bay area’s confirmed total of Zika virus cases now stands at 22. Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties all have six confirmed cases each. Pasco County has had four residents contract the virus. No confirmed cases have been reported in Manatee or Sarasota counties.

Aside from Hillsborough County, new cases were reported Wednesday in Broward, Orange, Miami-Dade, Lake and Osceola counties.

The CDC 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:

• 1st Baby Born With Zika Virus-Related Defect Born In Florida
• Zika Virus in Florida: What Pregnant Women Need to Know

“Babies with the defect often have a range of problems including developmental delay, intellectual disability, problems with movement and balance, hearing loss and vision problems,” the Florida Department of Health said in an email to media.

FDOH confirmed the birth of a baby with microcephaly on Tuesday. The baby’s mother, the state said, is a citizen of Haiti. She traveled to Florida to deliver the child.

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. 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.

The CDC recommends women who are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant postpone travel to Zika-affected areas.

As of Wednesday, 28 of the 263 Floridians who have been confirmed to have Zika virus still had symptoms.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline at 1-855-622-6735. The hotline has fielded more than 2,223 calls since it was launched Feb. 12, the state reported.

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