NJ Zika cases jump to nearly 100: How many in your county?

New Jersey has 97 confirmed cases of the Zika virus all, of which were contracted from outside the state by people who were traveling.

The New Jersey Department of Health reported the most cases are from Bergen County, with 21 followed by 18 from Passaic County and 11 in Essex County as of Aug. 18. The number is up sharply from the last report, issued in mid-June, which reported only 27 cases.

The report comes after Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC's "This Week" that Gulf Coast states are most vulnerable to the spread of the disease because of the unprecedented flooding in Louisiana. Cases of local infection via mosquitos have been found in two neighborhoods of Miami-Dade County.

As Zika concerns grow, NJ town tears down pools on abandoned properties

Zika is a viral infection that is usually spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the state health department. It can sometimes be spread by having sex with an infected partner as well. Most people infected with Zika won't know they have the virus because they won't show symptoms, but the most common symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis, the CDC said. The illness is usually mild and it's rarely fatal.

But it can cause serious birth defects, making it a particular risk for pregnant women.

The key to keeping cases of Zika down in New Jersey is controlling the mosquito population, officials said. Woodbridge has targeted at least 10 empty swimming pools on abandoned properties. However, the Centers for Disease Control is monitoring the Asian Tiger mosquito, one of the breeds of mosquito that can pass on Zika.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said it is found in New Jersey in very small numbers "and is unlikely to establish a permanent population in the state due to our moderate climate.

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The DEP is monitoring to make sure its population doesn't grow. The Center for Vector Biology at Rutgers University noted a case where the breed established a population in a Washington D.C. neighborhood after spending the winter below ground.

Zika cases in New Jersey according to the NJ Department of Health