HHS Awards $742,000 to Fight Zika Virus
- By BSTQ Staff
Three health centers in America Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands and their 12 delivery sites that served nearly 26,000 patients in 2014, including more than 6,000 women ages 15 years to 45 years, have been awarded $742,000 in funding to fight the Zika virus by expanding preventive and primary care services, outreach, and patient education and screening. More than 50 cases of Zika have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in those regions, and that number is expected to rise.
“We are working to learn as much about the Zika virus as we can, as quickly as we can, and make sure the public is informed about the steps they can take to minimize their risk, as well as the risk to their families and communities, of getting Zika,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “Our goal is to reduce the risk of Zika virus, especially among pregnant women and women of childbearing age.”
