Harlin said the Wynwood area – where 25 cases of locally transmitted Zika virus have been discovered – was an important part their mission to bring their product to the public. A woman acquired the virus on a recent trip to the Dominican Republic.
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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 Saturday evening in the Wynwood arts district.
According to experts interviewed for the report, Brazil has an “even lower” chance of beating the species of mosquito that carries the Zika virus today.
Zika virus is known to cause microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects, and has been associated with other adverse pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriage, stillbrith and serious neurological problems.
“This Administration is committed to meeting the Zika outbreak in Puerto Rico with the necessary urgency”, Secretary Burwell said.
But apart from Hong Kong swimmer Yvette Kong, who skipped Friday’s 200-meter breaststroke event after complaining of light-headedness and shortness of breath – two of the many symptoms of Zika virus infection – the Games health office has not received any related concern.
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. On Thursday, the Obama administration announced it would be diverting $81 million from research and healthcare programs to find a Zika vaccine after a deadlocked Congress refused to approve new funding.
The declaration was made by US Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell at the request of Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla. It allows Puerto Rico to apply for funding to hire and train unemployed workers to assist in mosquito control efforts, as well as for outreach and education efforts.
Instead of the virulent virus, South America’s first Olympic host is reeling from multiple security challenges.
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