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Connecticut receives $580,000 grant to address Zika

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) will be receiving a $579,055 federal grant from the CDC to help protect Connecticut residents...
Zika virus positive

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) will be receiving a $579,055 federal grant from the CDC to help protect Connecticut residents from Zika, Governor Malloy announced on Monday .

The grant would be used to help monitor serious birth defects, like microcephaly and other health effects that can be caused by the Zika virus.

Governor Malloy said in a statement:

“Here in Connecticut, we’ve actively been taking steps to prepare for Zika, including a coordinated, cross-functional response across agencies.  Preparation is critical, and this federal grant will be a big step forward in helping us reach our goals. That being said, it is still very critical that Congress approve a federal Zika aid package as quickly as possible.  The members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation have been ardent supporters of a bipartisan agreement for additional federal funding, and the recent outbreaks in certain parts of the country should be a wake-up call that action is needed now.”

He also noted that the grant received today was reallocated by the CDC from other, previously existing health accounts.

In a joint statement, members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation said:

“This welcome federal aid is only a fraction of the necessary action to stop a looming epidemic. Congress should do its job and fully fund robust emergency aid without restrictions on women’s health care.  These federal dollars will help enable local tracking and monitoring of Zika cases and mosquito populations, but not development of a Zika vaccine or other effective protection and prevention efforts at the national level.  We commend the Governor and state officials for their ongoing efforts, and we remain committed to fighting for much-needed emergency funding.”

DPH Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino said:

This federal funding will greatly enhance our current Zika testing program at the State Laboratory, mosquito surveillance being conducted by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and will allow us to establish a monitoring program through DPH’s Birth Registry that will track infants born with Zika-related birth defects. Thanks to the support and guidance from Governor Malloy, who has made our Zika efforts a priority, we have a robust State Zika Virus Surveillance and Response Plan and this funding will be put to immediate use supporting the plan.”

As of mid-July, the state lab had tested 491 Connecticut residents for Zika. 45 people including 3 pregnant women have tested positive for the virus. They contracted the virus as a result of travelling to Zika affected areas in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Connecticut has not seen any local transmission of the disease, and DPH officials do not anticipate seeing local transmission via mosquitoes in the state this year.

Monday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal called on Congress to return to Washington to act on funding for research into the Zika virus.

Florida’s governor said Monday the state has concluded that 14 mysterious Zika infections likely came from mosquitoes in the Miami area.

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