Request the temporary reassignment of local public health department or agency personnel who are funded through Public Health Service Act programs in Puerto Rico to assist in the Zika response.
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The health emergency declaration allows Puerto Rico to apply for more federal resources to help fight the outbreak on the island.
Puerto Rico reported the first microcephaly case acquired on US soil in May, involving a dead fetus that a woman turned over to health authorities.
Gilman said the first Canadian case of maternal-to-fetus transmission occurred in a baby that was confirmed to have the virus, but did not have related birth defects and so far appears normal.
“We are well aware of the importance of determining if there are mosquitoes that have the ability to transmit the Zika virus in our community and are implementing steps to identify them if they are in our community”, Monroe County Health Officer Kim Comerzan said. On Friday, the state said three more people had become infected by local mosquitoes, bringing the total of infections to 28.
“We have been working with the county school district since June, providing pertinent information and guidance on mosquito bite prevention and Zika”, she said.
Zika is most often spread through mosquito bites, though sexual transmission is also possible.
The virus can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by abnormally small head size and developmental problems in babies.
For male travelers, even if they do not develop Zika symptoms, they are urged to avoid sex or use condoms for at least two months after their return from an affected area.
The Health Department announced a Zika Action Day on St. Croix on Friday, Aug. 26 at the Christiansted Fort Park, and on St. Thomas on Aug. 27 at the Walgreens Pharmacy.
Meanwhile, the department reported 14 new travel-related cases in the state as of August 9.
Back in February, President Obama asked Congress for $1.8 billion to fight Zika.
On a more personal basis, “the declaration signals the urgency for pregnant women and children born to pregnant women with Zika – this action could encourage residents to take protective measures”, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an expert on infectious disease and senior associate at the UPMC Center for Health Security.
The number of people reported to have Zika infections in the US more than doubled in the past six weeks – from 935 as of June 29 to 1,962 – and tripled in USA territories from 2,026 to 6,618, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
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A FEW AMERICAN athletes are taking some ribbing from the Brazilians attending the Summer Olympics over the media hype about the Zika virus.
