SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The U.S. government on Friday declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico as a result of a Zika epidemic.
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Monroe County in Southeast Michigan has a reported case of the mosquito-born Zika virus, according to the Monroe News.
A total of 1,035 pregnant women are among the 10,690 people who have been infected in the USA territory of Puerto Rico in the past seven months, the island’s health authorities said.
In February, state health officials confirmed the first case of the Zika virus in MI. “This emergency declaration allows us to provide additional support to the Puerto Rican government and reminds us of the importance of pregnant women, women of childbearing age, and their partners taking additional steps to protect themselves and their families from Zika”.
The last time HHS declared such an emergency was in 2012 in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which slammed into the New Jersey shore and flooded parts of New York City. The administration said on Thursday it had shifted $81 million in funds from other projects to continue work on developing vaccines to fight Zika in the absence of any funding from US lawmakers. 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.
According to a statement from the Miami-Dade County mayor’s office, volunteers will hand out repellent and pamphlets about preventing mosquito bites to people attending events that start at 6 p.m. Saturday evening in the Wynwood arts district.
Puerto Rico Health Secretary Ana Rius said 90 people have been hospitalized because of Zika.
Zika is primarily spread by mosquitoes, but can also be transmitted by sexual contact.
The virus is most seen in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Zika poses a hidden threat to future generations of Puerto Ricans, and I feel the responsibility to do everything in my power to fight the spread of it”, he said.
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The Obama administration in February requested $1.9 billion to fight Zika, but the Republican-led Congress has approved no money.
