Florida Diagnoses 7 More Cases of Non-Travel Related Zika

Seven new cases of the Zika virus contracted from local mosquitos have emerged in the US state of Florida, the state’s Department of Health said in a press release on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — "There are seven new non-travel related cases today," the release stated. "Six are associated with the Miami Beach investigation."

The other case was discovered in a different area of Miami-Dade County.

The Department of Health noted it has conducted targeted testing for the Zika virus in the Pinellas, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties.

The release added health officials think the only location where ongoing transmission is taking place from local mosquitos is in the Wynwood and Miami Beach areas.

The total of non-travel related Zika cases in Florida is now up to 56, and Florida is still the only state in the continental United States with cases non-travel acquired Zika.

The current Zika outbreak began in Brazil in the spring of 2015. The virus is believed not to cause serious complications in healthy adults, but it can cause severe brain defects including microcephaly in newborns.