U.S.
health officials outline Zika spending priorities
Send a link to a friend
[October 19, 2016]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health
officials outlined on Tuesday how they planned to divide up $1.1 billion
in funds approved by Congress to fight the Zika virus, including
repaying $44.25 million they were forced to borrow from a fund allocated
for other emergencies.
|
The funds were borrowed from the Public Health Emergency
Preparedness cooperative, which helps state and local public health
departments develop response plans to emergencies, while Congress
battled over whether to supply the funds.
President Barack Obama in February requested $1.9 billion in
emergency Zika funding. Congress approved $1.1 billion in September
after months of political bickering.
On a conference call with reporters, health officials said$394
million would go to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, $152 million to the National Institutes of Health and
$387 million for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency
Fund, which supports the nation's ability to respond to public
health emergencies.
A further $40 million is aimed at expanding primary healthcare
services in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories, and $20 million
for projects of national and regional significance in those areas.
Puerto Rico has been particularly hard hit by Zika, a mosquito-borne
virus that has been linked with a rare birth defect known as
microcephaly. The virus has spread to almost 60 countries and
territories since the current outbreak was identified last year in
Brazil.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/Symphony_122313.png)
As of Oct. 12, more than 29,000 cases of Zika infection had been
reported in the United States and territories. Of those, more than
2,600 cases are in pregnant women. Nearly 26,000 of those cases are
in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.
The government will be allocating funds, based on a competitive
process, to support Zika virus surveillance and other programs. The
funds will also be used to expand mosquito control, continue vaccine
development and begin studies on the effect of Zika on babies born
to infected mothers.
(Reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |