Zika Cases Continue Slow Increase In Florida
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA) - Florida has had 72 reported cases of the mosquito-borne Zika virus this year, with the number of cases continuing a gradual increase, according to information posted on the state Department of Health website.
The 72 cases had been reported as of Monday and were up from 66 cases reported during the first week of September.
The new data classified 70 of the cases as "travel-related" --- generally meaning people were infected with the virus elsewhere and brought it into the state.
The other two cases were classified as having "undetermined" origin.
Both of the "undetermined" cases involved people in Miami-Dade County, according to the Department of Health website.
The disease, which caused major concerns in 2016, is particularly dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects.
The largest number of Zika cases this year has been 28 in Collier County, followed by 19 in Miami-Dade and nine in Orange.
Other counties with reported cases have been Broward, Palm Beach, Lee, Osceola, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando and Walton.
