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Zika Cases Top 1,100 In Florida

With the addition of five more cases Monday, Florida's total number of diagnoses of the mosquito-borne Zika virus topped 1,100, according to information posted online by the state Department of Health.

The total hit 1,103, including 124 infections involving pregnant women. Zika is particularly dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects.

Four of the new cases Monday were classified as "travel related" — meaning that people were infected elsewhere and brought Zika into the state. One of the new travel-related cases was in Collier County, another was in Miami-Dade County and a third was in St. Lucie County. One of the travel-related cases involved a pregnant woman, but the Department of Health does not identify the counties in cases involving pregnant women. Also, the department said one new case involved a person infected in Miami-Dade, which has been the epicenter of mosquitoes transmitting the virus in Florida.

Copyright 2016 Health News Florida

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