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CDC allocates almost $184 million to fight Zika

The CDC is awarding nearly $184 million in funding to universities, local governments, states and territories in the ongoing effort to protect Americans from the Zika virus and the associated serious birth defects and adverse events, including microcephaly.

“Zika continues to be a threat to pregnant women,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “States, territories, and communities need this CDC funding to fight Zika and protect the next generation of Americans.”

According to the CDC, allocations and efforts are: 

• $97 million for 58 state, territorial, city, and local public health departments through the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement;
• $40 million for four universities to develop centers that can assist in efficiently handling emerging and exotic vector-borne diseases in the United States, such as Zika;
• $25 million for public health emergency preparedness and responses in 21 areas at greatest risk for Zika infection;
• $14 million for manage the first-ever vector control unit in Puerto Rico; and
• $8 million for Zika birth defects surveillance activities in 38 areas.

According to the release, the $184 million is part of the $350 million allocated under the Zika Response and Preparedness Appropriations Act of 2016. The remaining supplemental funds will go towards mosquito control; communication efforts between the public and health care providers; sending emergency response teams to states with Zika outbreaks; providing reference and surge laboratory capacity in the United States; and developing a framework for tracking pregnancies and births affected by Zika.