Five new cases of locally transmitted Zika virus were reported in Florida on Monday, bringing the state's total overall number of individuals who acquired the disease from local mosquitoes to 146, according to information released Monday by the state Department of Health. Overall, there are 933 Zika cases in Florida.
Of the new locally acquired cases, two were involved in the 4.5-square-mile zone in Miami Beach where health officials believe the disease is being transmitted by local mosquitoes. The other three new locally acquired cases are being investigated to determine where the local exposure took place, health officials said.
The only ongoing investigations for local transmissions are currently in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, with the Miami Beach zone the only specific area identified for local transmissions.
The vast majority of the Zika cases — 721 — are classified as "travel related," meaning the individuals acquired the disease outside the state. The mosquito-borne Zika is particularly dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects, including microcephaly. As of Monday, 103 cases of Florida's reported Zika infections involved pregnant women.
