US President Urges Congress to Release Emergency Funds to Fight Zika Virus

Florida reported its first case of a baby born with microcephaly after the child's mother, a Haitian citizen, was infected with the Zika virus while pregnant.

President Barack Obama urged the Congress to release $1.9 billion in emergency funds to fight the Zika virus. Replicans should set aside politics to fight the disease linked to birth defects.

"This is not the time to play politics," //Obama said in remarks delivered in the White House Oval Office following a meeting with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci and other officials.

Zika Fever - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention
Zika virus is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes which causes mild fever with maculopapular rash. No treatment or vaccine is currently available.

‘Zika virus is actively spreading in about 50 countries and territories. The Centers for Disease Control reported that more than 600 cases of Zika virus in the US.’

"Congress should not leave, should not adjourn, until they get this done," he added ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend.

There is no vaccine to prevent Zika, which is actively spreading in about 50 countries and territories, including Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa.

Experts have warned the continental United States will likely see mosquito-borne transmission this summer.

Vaccines Block Zika Virus in Mice, Boosting Hopes for Human Jab
Two vaccines gave mice 'complete' Zika protection, said researchers, who claimed progress towards the creation of an effective human shield against the virus.

"The good news is we feel fairly confident that we can develop an effective vaccine for Zika," Obama added.

The Zika virus can cause microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.

Zika Virus Infection may be Extended in Pregnancy
Zika virus infection confers protection against future infection in monkeys, but lingers in the body of pregnant animals for prolonged periods of time.

On Tuesday, Florida reported its first case of a baby born with microcephaly after the child's mother, a Haitian citizen, was infected with the Zika virus while pregnant.

Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes but can also be spread by sexual contact.

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With materials costing $2 per test, scientists developed a diagnostic system in the lab that can accurately detect low levels of the Zika virus in saliva.

Four infants have been born with birth defects related to the Zika virus in the United States, including in Hawaii and New Jersey, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There have also been four US pregnancy losses involving Zika, and one in the US territory of Puerto Rico, the agency said, without offering details on whether the cases involved miscarriage or abortion.

Source-AFP