The Obama administration on Friday declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico due to the rapid and widespread transmission of the Zika virus, saying it poses a “significant threat” to the health of pregnant women who may be infected and their children.
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Officials are urging people to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging pregnant women and their partners to stay away from Wynwood – the first time the CDC has ever warned against travel to an American neighborhood for fear of an infectious disease.
“As the first virus that can be transmitted by mosquitoes known to cause severe birth defects, we are working closely with Puerto Rican officials to pursue solutions to fight the virus in Puerto Rico”, said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.
The declaration means the island can now apply for emergency funding and appoint staff to assist in mosquito control efforts, outreach and Zika education campaigns. The Caribbean island and USA territory has reported 10,690 laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika, including 1,035 pregnant women.
The virus can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by abnormally small head size and developmental problems in babies.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last declared a public health emergency in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which slammed into the New Jersey shore and flooded parts of New York City in 2012.
“The failure to pass a Zika emergency supplemental (appropriation) has forced the administration to choose between delaying critical vaccine development work and raiding other worthy government programs to avoid these delays”, Burwell said in a letter to Congress. The declaration made by HHS, which grants access to certain funds, is another example of collaboration between the federal government and the government of Puerto Rico.
Zika was first detected in Brazil past year, and has since spread rapidly through South America and the Caribbean.
In July, Democrats blocked a Republican measure to allocate $1.1 billion to fight Zika because provisions in the measure included banning funding for Planned Parenthood, a frequent target of conservatives because it provides abortion services.
A total of 1,035 pregnant women are among the 10,690 people who have been infected in the United States territory of Puerto Rico in the past seven months, the island’s health authorities said.
He said while only seven cases have been recorded, “this is the tip of the iceberg” since 80 per cent of people who are infected with the virus do not know or have mild infections.
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The Republican legislation also would siphon off unused money under Obama’s signature 2010 healthcare law to combat Zika.
