Puerto Rico has nearly 20,000 Zika cases

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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.