3 pregnant women test positive for Zika in Florida

MIAMI (AP) – Health officials say three pregnant women have tested positive for the Zika virus in Florida.

Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong announced the cases Wednesday in his daily Zika update. A news release says all three cases are believed to be travel-related. Officials weren’t identifying the counties where the pregnant women were diagnosed.

A total of 32 cases have now been reported in Florida. Miami-Dade County leads the state with 11 reported cases. All the cases, so far, have been travel-related, but the virus can be spread by bites from mosquitoes that are common in Florida.

Zika is rapidly spreading through Latin America, and scientists are studying the virus’ possible connection to babies born with unusually small heads. The birth defect called microcephaly can signal underlying brain damage.