A new case of homegrown Zika has been identified in Palm Beach County, state health officials say.

This case of homegrown Zika is in addition to one identified there last month, but is unrelated. Health officials are now going door-to-door there to check for other cases, and stepping up mosquito abatement activities, they add.

The Palm Beach County is in addition to the five new homegrown Zika cases announced Tuesday. These include four more in the Wynwood area of Miami and the first in Pinellas County, which is located on the Gulf Coast side of the state.

U.S. health officials worry that the Pinellas County case could indicate that the virus is making its way to Texas and Louisiana, where it would be poised to spread across the continental U.S.

The number of homegrown Zika cases now stands at 43. In addition, 15 more travel-related cases were reported, bringing that tally to 523. Seventy pregnant women are being monitored, health officials say.

Zika is considered particularly dangerous because it is linked with the severe birth defect known as microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with small heads and brain damage.

Although the virus usually only causes mild symptoms in adults, it is linked to a number of neurological problems, most notably Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune disorder that can cause respiratory distress, weakness and paralysis.

While thousands of travel-related Zika cases have been reported in the U.S., the only zones where the virus is spreading locally in the nation are in Wynwood and Miami Beach, say federal health officials, who have issued an advisory warning pregnant women to avoid all of Miami-Dade County.

The Centers for Disease Control also announced Wednesday it is sending $6.8 million more to aid their partner agencies across the U.S. in their fight against Zika. This is in addition to the $1.6 million the agency sent in emergency funds to its health partners earlier this year.

So far, the CDC has awarded more than $100 million to states, cities, and territories to fight Zika, after a $1.1 billion spending bill was deadlocked in Congress.

The Zika virus can make anyone sick for up to a week with the following flu-like symptoms:

• Fever.
• Rash.
• Joint pain.
• Red eyes.

There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, making prevention essential. Health experts recommend taking the following precautions:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants outdoors.
• Eliminate standing water where mosquitoes breed.
• Use repellents to keep mosquitoes away.
• Use air conditioning and window screens if possible.
• Call your health care provider if you are at risk of infection.

Last month, Consumer Reports released new rankings of mosquito repellents that offer the best protection against Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, the type that carry the Zika virus. They tested products containing DEET, plantlike ingredients lemon eucalyptus and picaridin. The most effective products:

• Sawyer Fisherman's Formula Picaridin.
• Natrapel 8 Hour, with 20 percent picaridin.
• Off! Deepwoods VIII, w/25 percent DEET.
• Repel Lemon Eucalyptus.

The magazine also recommended skipping products made with natural plant oils, such as California Baby Natural Bug Blend (a blend of citronella, lemongrass oil, cedar oil, and other ingredients) and EcoSmart Organic, (which includes geraniol, rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, and lemongrass oil).

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can safely use DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535, according to the EPA.

Other tips for using insect repellents safely and effectively:

1. Apply repellents sparingly, and only to exposed skin or clothing.
2. Don’t apply repellents over cuts, wounds, irritated skin, or after shaving.
3. When applying to your face, spray first on your hands, then rub in, avoiding your eyes and mouth.
4. Don’t let young children apply repellents themselves
5. Don’t use near food, and wash hands after application and before eating.
6. At the end of the day, wash treated skin with soap and water, and wash treated clothing in a separate wash before wearing again.