Public health officials in the United States have warned that the Zika virus and its impact in the country are "scarier" than anticipated. The virus is spread by mosquitoes and is linked to a range of birth defects.
"Everything we know about this virus seems to be scarier than we initially thought," Dr. Anne Schuchat, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. was quoted by the BBC as saying at a briefing. Dr. Schuchat remarked that mosquitoes with the virus were capable of traveling further to more states in the U.S.
The recent outbreak of the Zika virus began in Brazil in 2015. The virus has been associated with numerous causes of birth defect. Health officials have now begun warning those in the U.S. to be vigilant as the virus has the potential to spread.
Dr. Schuchat was quoted as saying everything researchers have discovered about the virus is less than reassuring. More than 300 cases of confirmed Zika cases have been reported in the U.S., the British news channel said quoting figures by the CDC.
At the beginning of this year, President Obama requested Congress for funds to combat the virus. He made the plea for $ 1.9 billion as an emergency fund to deal with the unfolding epidemic. According to the British news channel, the U.S. is currently delving into leftover funds allocated for research into the Ebola virus.
The leftover funds from Ebola research amounted to $589 million. However, the funds were a temporary measure and inadequate, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci who spoke to CNN. Dr. Fauci is from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He said the U.S. needs more funds for research into the virus.
Media reports have claimed that the White House has made it clear that Ebola funds need to be replaced. Dr. Fauci also told the American news channel that funds from tuberculosis and malaria are also being redirected toward the study of the Zika virus.
The mosquito-borne virus arises from a condition called microcephaly. Experts have linked the virus to premature births, neurological conditions and eye problems. Newborns with such conditions according to health professionals are being born to mothers infected with the virus at the time of their pregnancy.
Watch a clip which shows how those in Brazil cope with the virus :