Nearly 20,000 Zika Cases Reported In Puerto Rico

In this Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus spre... In this Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) MORE LESS

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The number of Zika cases keeps climbing in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Health officials said Friday that more than 2,000 cases were reported in the past week for a total of nearly 20,000 cases. The total includes 1,706 pregnant women, a growing concern because Zika can cause severe birth defects.

Officials said 150 people have been hospitalized, including several of the 48 people diagnosed with a temporary paralysis condition linked to Zika known as Guillain-Barre. One person has died from that condition after becoming infected with Zika.

In addition, two people who had Zika coupled with other medical conditions have died.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico.

    Tell that to Congress. Republicans believe Puerto Rico is a foreign country and couldn’t care less…Besides, I hear they’re on recess again.

    They have literally helped to create an epidemic when it didn’t need to be this way and could have been dealt with when the virus first appeared.

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